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Lionel Messi was virtually unrecognisable and so have been Barcelona as a uncommon defeat by Atletico Madrid on Saturday forged additional doubt over the route of the Ronald Koeman venture. Atletico had not overwhelmed Barca within the league since 2010, their 1-Zero win on the Wanda Metropolitano a well timed affirmation that they’re contenders and arguably now favourites to win La Liga. For Barca sitting 12th, albeit with a sport or two in hand over a few of these above them, the rapid blow of a 3rd league defeat in eight video games was compounded by a knee ligament harm to Gerard Pique, which leaves Koeman with just one match central defender.
But maybe extra regarding is the sense that Koeman’s Barcelona seem already to be stalling, devoid of both a transparent identification or renewed enthusiasm, each of which could have been anticipated to observe the appointment of a brand new coach.
“Like any coach, I am responsible,” mentioned Koeman on Saturday. “We have to improve the results. We have to improve defensively and in attack and after that I can’t do anything more.”
It was virtually a 12 months in the past that Ernesto Valverde was sacked mid-season with the staff high of the desk, each a jolt response to stodgy performances and a delayed one after historic Champions League failure.
His substitute Quique Setien arrived with a purist method believed to be according to Barca’s DNA and for some time there have been indicators of it, just for outcomes to dive and one other cut up turn into unavoidable.
But Koeman’s first 4 months have introduced neither the pragmatism to grind out outcomes nor the creativeness to impose a mode that dominates opponents or endures via adversity.
Atletico absorbed a handful of probabilities late on however the onslaught by no means got here and as Barca chased an equaliser, they grew extra determined, the shortage of a plan – or a minimum of their perception in a single – changing into an increasing number of obvious.
The outcome looks like a season already set to be consigned to a interval of transition, even when Barcelona’s beginning line-up towards Atletico had solely two new gamers and simply three aged youthful than 25.
Koeman within the sizzling seat
Koeman could also be renovating however what staff on the earth wouldn’t discover house for the likes of Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong, Jordi Alba, Pique and Marc-Andre ter Stegen?
There has definitely been a look to the long run, with the emergence of Pedri, who began towards Atletico, and Sergino Dest and Francisco Trincao, who got here on.
There has been a brand new formation too, a shift to 4-2-3-1, with De Jong as a pivot and Griezmann, and Messi, enjoying extra central.
Yet change wants dedication and management, with one among Koeman’s greatest issues the drift of his captain.
When Messi ran past Atletico’s defence within the first half onto a cross from Alba, like he has carried out so many instances earlier than, the expectation was he would hearth early previous Jan Oblak, even from an acute angle.
Instead, he hesitated, trying up for a cross inside, earlier than a tame end rolled straight into the palms of the goalkeeper.
At full-time, Messi was amongst a variety of senior gamers that would have taken duty for the staff’s post-match media duties however as a substitute it was the 17-year-old Pedri in entrance of the cameras, simply as Dest had spoken after the loss final month to Real Madrid.
Messi’s efforts on the pitch can’t be questioned however he additionally appears more and more burdened enjoying for Barcelona, with the enjoyment seemingly gone and the excitement misplaced ever since his failed try to depart.
“I’m fed up being the problem with everything that goes on at this club,” mentioned the pissed off 33-year-old on Wednesday, when questioned by reporters about his relationship with Griezmann, after a 15-hour flight again from Peru.
Promoted
If Koeman doesn’t encourage Messi, maybe another person will given a brand new membership president in January may imply a brand new coach, both instantly or subsequent summer season, when Messi himself may stroll away free of charge.
Every change will convey recent upheaval. Koeman’s transition may very well be the primary of many.
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