FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta shocked the media on Saturday, unexpectedly announcing that first team manager Ronald Koeman remains safe in his position at the club.
Koeman has been faced with mounting pressure over the past few weeks, particularly over his team’s disappointing start in the group stage of the Champions League. So far, the Blaugranes have been on the receiving end of back-to-back 3-0 defeats at the hands of Bayern Munich and S.L. Benfica.
During an impassioned press conference on Friday, Koeman expressed disappointment over the supposed leaking of information about his future from within the club. He accused Barcelona staff of lacking respect in this regard.
Laporta delivered the following statement on Saturday: “Ronald Koeman will continue as Barca coach, we feel he deserves a certain amount of confidence for many reasons. He’s a Barca fan, a reference for the supporters. He will continue and deserves some confidence.”
According to several sources, a major motivation against Koeman’s dismissal is the lack of feasible alternatives to take his place. Koeman arrived at Barcelona on August 19, 2020, when he led the club to that season’s Copa del Rey title as well as a third-placed La Liga finish.
