The barbarity of sacking Ronald Koeman

“There are many more made up problems than real ones,” Juan Manuel Lillo used to say, citing writer Jorge Luis Borges, whom he admired. It can be applied to Barcelona, in the case that they replace Ronald Koeman this summer. In a season full of blows, he has managed to obtain sporting stability. Barcelona have won the title, a Copa del Rey, and are in the sprint finish to try and win La Liga. The Champions League didn’t go to plan but that competition was a big ask for this Barca.

Koeman is the ideal coach to keep giving his trust to the young players. Pedri, Mingueza, Araujo, Ilaix and next season Nico Gonzalez and Alejandro Balde could come through. Just for believing in La Masia and showing he can use youth players to make a team, he deserves to continue. To that, we can add a better and more organised summer plan than last season.

Against Atletico he was accused of being conservative, but maybe that was the only way to win. The team he put out at Camp Nou against PSG took a big beating. This Barca have to play with more defensive security and grow bit by bit. What would they say if Dembele had scored in the 86th minute? They’d talk about the patience of the team and how to eke out a win like that. And those who are doubting Koeman today would be on his train.

LATEST EPISODE of SIEMPRE POSITIVO, the best FC Barcelona podcast in English