Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman is grateful to Lionel Messi for approving his appointment and praising his impact on the team, although they have to endure their worst start to a season in 33 years. Messi said that the young team of Barcelona grows with each passing game under the leadership of the Dutch specialist.
The Blaugranes are 8 points behind the leader Atletico Madrid and take 5th place in the standings. “I’m not sure if it makes me more calm, but I’m grateful because he’s a very important player to this club and in the world of football, so anyone would be happy for him to speak well about them”, said the 1988 European champion at a press conference. “But that doesn’t change my feeling. I feel like before, I’m trying to get the team to move forward. It’s a transitional year with a lot of changes, but he’s still a very important part of that team and if he can help us we improve more for the rest of this season we can be happy “, he added.
Asked if he expects Messi to move to Paris Saint-Germain after the end of the season, even more so Mauricio Pochettino, also an Argentine, became coach, Koeman said: “I can’t express an opinion, the press writes about such things. Only he knows. We have an agreement to have this type of conversation in two months, in which we will comment on the future and the options. At the moment we have no reason to worry. “, finished Koeman.
Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez could also become teammates again, Goal.com claims. The MLS club Inter Miami, owned by former England international David Beckham is interested in both, but such a spectacular deal for Messi and Suarez can happen only in the summer of 2022, as it is not within the capabilities of the club. Most likely the help of sponsors will be sought, who will directly finance the deal.
“I’ve always had the dream of playing in another league, in the United States. Maybe it will happen, it doesn’t have to be right away. Today I am just focused on these next six months.”, said Messi in interview with Jordi Evole on Spanish channel La Sexta.
“I will not negotiate with other clubs. I will wait for the season to end and in June I will decide.”, finished Messi
The 33 year old Argentine has played 18 games this season, scoring 10 goals and making 5 assists. His contract with the Catalan club is until the summer of 2021. The Uruguayan international has 14 games for Atletico, in which he scored 7 goals and made 1 assist. The player’s agreement with the club expires in the summer of 2022. Messi and Suarez played in Barcelona from 2014 to 2020.
The Argentine genius, who enters the last 6 months of his contract, will not play against Eibar tomorrow due to an ankle injury, but will probably be on the line for the meeting with Huesca on January 3.
