Koeman Speaks On FC Barcelona Defeat To PSG, Haaland Signing And Cadiz Clash

Ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Cadiz, Ronald Koeman has reflected on Tuesday’s defeat to PSG in the Champions League and the problems FC Barcelona face.

“After a defeat, it is always good to gain an advantage later to show that we can be better and get better results. We have a good track record in La Liga in recent months and we have to keep going. We accept what happened to us but we have to react,” Koeman said first in his prematch press conference.

“The world does not end after a defeat,” he insisted. “We have to analyze our faults and improve things by talking and training, especially [considering how] we lost the ball the other day. I hope the team comes out strong tomorrow.”

“We are still in all three competitions,” Koeman wished to remind everyone. “Even if the Champions League is very complicated. Against Sevilla [in the Copa del Rey semifinals] we can make a comeback if we are more effective. I still think we can get through. And in la Liga we depend on Atletico, I’m not that negative. We have to go on, because we are Barca, and we have good players and have to react.”

“The main thing is to go match-by-match,” answered Koeman, when asked if the Copa del Rey is the main priority to end a two-season trophy drought. “It’s the best way to win things. We don’t have to think about Sevilla yet, as I’m not in favor of choosing [competitions]. Tomorrow is very important, and then Elche at home before PSG after. That’s the way to be strong and win things, not say what the goal is.”

“I have my ideas for the future of this club, but I have to wait [to see] who the president is going to be, [in order] to sit down and talk about the future,” Koeman said, when it was put to him that Erling Haaland is his and the club’s desired number 9 to bring in.

“It’s hard to say what we’re missing against the big teams,” Koeman began, on poor results against the greatest of opposition. “They [PSG] were very effective and that made a difference. I don’t think we can’t compete. We’ve been close, we’ve had our chances. I don’t see one team much better than another. We can beat anyone, but we have to prove it in every match, and even more so if we don’t have all our players.”

“It doesn’t bother me that there are harsh comments about us. It’s our job. Mine is to prepare the team for every game. We’ve talked and we’ll try to get better. We have given encouragement [to the players] and we want them to feel pride in being Barca players. We have to accept criticism and show that we can win things,” he concluded.