FOOTBALL – Ronald Koeman is no longer the trainer of the Spanish top club FC-Barcelona. The resignation comes as no surprise after Barca’s disappointing results. The news was announced around midnight, upon the club’s arrival at La Prat airport.
The team arrived there after suffering yet another defeat. This time against Madrid club Rayo Vallecano against whom no goal was scored. Last Sunday, Koeman was harassed by Barca fans as he left the stadium after losing ‘el Clásico’ to Real Madrid.
Koeman leaves the Dutch national team for FC Barcelona in 2020
Koeman joined FC Barcelona in August 2020, replacing the then trainer Quique Setién. Setién was sacked after a 2-8 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, which was played in Lisbon. Before his appointment at FC Barcelona, Koeman left his position as national coach of the Dutch national team last year. Koeman had already included in his contract with the KNVB that he could leave the Dutch national team for a possible trainership at FC Barcelona.
Koeman especially successful as a player
While playing for FC Barcelona, Koeman won the first European Cup 1 in the Wembley stadium in London in 1992. Since then, a special relationship has developed between the Spanish club and the Dutch trainer. However, his career as a trainer turned out to be less successful than as a player and Koeman is unceremoniously kicked out by the club. The current board of directors, led by Joan Laporta, has never fully supported Koeman’s appointment but saw it as a legacy of former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who was sacked by Barca exactly one year ago.
Depart three star players
The situation in which Koeman ended up at FC Barcelona has certainly not contributed to a successful career. After the departure of star players Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezman, and Luis Suarez, Koeman’s request is granted and Mephis Depay, Eric García, and later Luuk de Jong come to Barcelona. Under the leadership of Koeman, however, they have not been able to compensate for the departure of the star players.
Dismissal inevitable
After the dramatic 3-0 loss in the Champions League match on September 29 against Portuguese club Benfica, the curtain seems to have fallen for Koeman already. Nevertheless, Laporta decides to keep faith in Koeman for the upcoming game against Atlético. But also in that match, no goal was scored and the win went to the Madrilenians 2-0.
The loss against Rayo Vallecano turns out to be the last straw for Laporta and Ronald Koeman’s fourteen-month coaching career at ‘his’ club FC Barcelona comes to an end.
FC Barcelona tweeted Koeman will say his goodbyes to the team and staff today (Thursday)
