BARCELONA – Ronald Koeman abruptly interrupted his press conference ahead of the Barcelona game in Seville on Friday, holding a handkerchief on his nose that was bleeding heavily. This is the second time the Dutch coach has suffered a nosebleed in the press room, although the club has downplayed it, making sure it is in good condition.
Only nine questions during Koeman’s ten rare minutes gave him time to distance himself from the election in which he said he would not vote to “wait for the new president”, dismissing the fact that Barça are playing the season in these two consecutive games against Sevilla, praise Ronald Araújo and divide the team’s responsibilities between veterans and young people.
“Sevilla may have an advantage because they rested this week and we don’t, but we are ready for the game,” Koeman said, referring to Saturday’s duel, separating it from the next Cup match “because there are two different games. “We will come out to win both, Of course, knowing that in the Cup we have to go back, but thinking first about the League, to put pressure on those at the top.”
“Are we playing the season? I don’t agree. We are not the only ones playing important games. The pressure exists for all the teams, not just for us, because now the top players play among them and we have to be vigilant,” the Barça coach said when asked. about the significance of these encounters, realizing that he is accustomed to this pressure around him.
“Being the coach of Barcelona has a lot of pressure, we know that. If you lose the culprit, he is the coach and I assume this because I have been in this for many years and I try to do my best without thinking about losing,” he revealed. , showing his best spirit: “I’m optimistic and I’m thinking of winning tomorrow, not losing.”
A few days after focusing on the veterans, this time Koeman preferred to “share the responsibilities” when talking about who should carry the weight of the team, recalling that “from the beginning the veterans tried to take over, but they needed help from others, And in this case he gave a clear example: “Messi has 18 goals and the other strikers, together, have that number … Here we don’t just have to ask for the best or new veterans, but everyone. The responsibility is for everyone, not just the elderly. They have to help the young people, but the responsibility lies with the whole team. “
When Araújo returned, he did not give many clues, stating that the Uruguayan has options to play “like everyone else on the list” and agrees that “he has a very good season, showing his quality. He needs to improve his ball game. but it gives us a lot to defend. “
And regarding the elections, which are to take place in nine days, Koeman announced that “I will not vote, because I am not the one who has to vote” and decided that his task is “to wait for the partners to decide . they will come out every day thinking that their option is the best for the club and the elections will be when I enter, not before ”.