La Liga
DESPITE CLEAR OUT AT BARCA, MESSI NOT FOR SALE
New Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman is expected to oversee a massive overhaul of the squad as he leads them into a new era after their weaknesses were exposed in the 8-2 thrashing by Bayern Munich, president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said.
Koeman, one of Barca’s greatest ever players who was yesterday confirmed as the club’s manager through 2022, will oversee the transition alongside Ramon Planes, the new technical secretary after Eric Abidal left the club.
“The technical secretary and new coach will take drastic measures and they will affect certain players, who we should give a proper farewell to,” Bartomeu said in an interview with the club’s official television channel on Tuesday.
He did not say which players would depart but referred to seven players who were not for sale: Captain Lionel Messi, 33, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 28, defenders Clement Lenglet, 25, and Nelson Semedo, 26, French winger Ousmane Dembele, 23, and recent signings Antoine Griezmann, 29, and Frenkie de Jong, 23.
Gerard Pique, 33, and 32-year-old Sergio Busquets, who have been at the club since 2008, are the longest-serving players after Messi. They were omitted from Bartomeu’s list, meaning they could face an exit after 12 trophy-laden years.
Jordi Alba, 31, Ivan Rakitic, 32, and Luis Suarez, 33 – crucial members of the team that won the treble in 2015 as well as the La Liga titles in 2016, 2018 and last year – were also not mentioned in the list.
“These are players who have given their best days to the club and been part of the club’s best years,” added Bartomeu. “Some of those decisions have already been taken by others and some will be taken soon by different people. The players will not be consulted on these decisions. It’s very important to listen to opinions but the coach and technical secretary will take the decision together.”
Barca will face a challenge in selling some players due to having the biggest wage bill in world football, at a time when clubs are facing serious financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has stripped them of match-day revenue and ticket sales.
Players like Alba, Busquets and Suarez have all indicated their desire to stay, while persuading Messi – whose contract expires next year – to remain will be high on Koeman’s to-do list.
The 57-year-old, who had been in charge of the Dutch national team since 2018, will also need to find a way to get the best out of his compatriot de Jong. The midfielder starred at Ajax in the middle of a 4-3-3 formation but has often been played out of position.
In his first press conference yesterday, Koeman vowed to stay true to the club’s possession-based style.
“I’m Dutch and the Dutch like to have the ball and play well. I have experience and I’m ready to coach Barca,” he said. “We have to look for work and enjoy. It’s the first thing I’ll tell the players, they have to enjoy the football.”
He is set to lead by example after landing his dream job.
“Today is a day to be happy and proud,” he said. “Everyone knows Barcelona, to me, is my home.”
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Raphinha knew there was no reason to panic as Barcelona struggled to break down Espanyol on Thursday and said it was only a matter of time before the “golden feet” of Lamine Yamal steered them to a title-winning victory with a glorious goal.
Yamal, 17, took the ball on the right touchline and made a superb lateral run across the edge of the box before unleashing a curling strike between two defenders and into the top corner to break the deadlock early in the second half.
The stunning strike set Barca on course for a 2-0 win that secured the LaLiga title, with Real Madrid seven points back with only two games left to play.
“We didn’t have many clear chances but we have a kid in there who sometimes pulls something out of the golden feet he has and he gave us peace of mind to stay in the game more calmly,” Raphinha said.
“In January some people were saying we would fight to be third. We have confidence in ourselves. That’s the key. We trust in the work and in what we know we can do.”
Raphinha has scored 18 league goals this season, including a brace in Saturday’s crucial 4-3 win over Real Madrid, and was quick to credit the trust shown in him by coach Hansi Flick.
The Brazilian tripled his goal tally from last season and also has the third-highest number of assists in the competition with nine, three less than leader Yamal.
“The most important thing was the confidence of the coach. Knowing at the start of the season that he was counting on me, a person who controls the team … it changes you in the end,” he said.
-Reuters
Former Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to become the next Real Madrid manager on a three-year deal when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen after this season, Spanish media reported on Monday.
Alonso, 43, is expected to replace current Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who is being lined up for the vacant Brazil job ahead of the 2026 World Cup, soccer sources told Reuters.
Despite the Italian having a year remaining on his contract, Real’s underwhelming season and his desire to coach Brazil have led to a mutual agreement to part ways, the sources added.
Alonso, who said earlier this month that he was leaving Leverkusen after guiding them to the double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 14, multiple media reports said.
Alonso, who also played for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, last season steered Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, ending the Bavarians’ 11-year domination, and they also won the German Cup and German Super Cup.
Reports of Ancelotti’s likely departure come as no surprise after Real’s 4-3 defeat at Barcelona in a thrilling ‘El Clasico’ on Sunday left his side on the brink of a trophyless season.
The 65-year-old Italian, who returned for a second stint at Real in June 2021, led the Spanish giants to two Champions League and LaLiga doubles, the latest of which came last season.
He is the most successful manager in the club’s history with a total of 15 trophies and the first coach to claim titles in Europe’s top five leagues.
However, this season Real were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal and allowed Barca to fight back and win 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final.
Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.
Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.
An official announcement regarding a managerial change is expected before Real’s last game of the season at home to Real Sociedad on May 25.
-Reuters
Schmuelgen/File Photo
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It was mission accomplished, said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti after his side fought back from two-goals behind to snatch a rip-roaring 4-4 draw on Tuesday for a 5-4 aggregate win that put them through to the Copa del Rey final.
Ancelotti brushed off questions about a sub-par performance by his side and praised his players’ effort in what he considered a highly entertaining encounter.
“We have achieved our goal today which was to reach the final and there is not much time to think about it,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
“It was an entertaining game with some mistakes and a lot of good things. It was fun and we are in the final.
“I never saw ourselves out of it because anything can happen at the Bernabeu. When we have to come from behind, we never give up. We never give up, especially at home, with the fans by our side.”
Ancelotti said David Alaba was not to blame after he deflected two balls into his own goal, calling it “bad luck” by the Austrian defender, but urged his defence to play with better focus moving forward.
“It’s not good to concede four goals in a game,” Ancelotti said.
“Right now we are a team that has a lot of effectiveness up-front, but little balance.
“However, we can’t ignore what we did in attack, scoring four goals against Real is not that easy. I think we are doing quite well.”
Real Madrid, who have won the Spanish Cup only once in over a decade, will play either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in a mouth-watering final in Seville next month.
Atletico fought back to hold Barca to a thrilling 4-4 draw ahead of Wednesday’s second-leg in Madrid.
-Reuters
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