On the bench of Atlético Madrid at kickoff, Antoine Griezmann did not make the famous shot of the player who scores against his former team, Saturday night. It was Luis Suarez who took care of it, signing the second goal of a logical victory for Colchoneros over FC Barcelona (2-0), after the opening of the scoring of an excellent Thomas Lemar.
Three days after sinking in Lisbon in the Champions League (3-0), Barça did not exist again, as desperate in attack as in defense. Symbols of this shipwreck: several spat between players, especially between the emblematic Gerard Piqué and Sergio Busquets after the first goal.
😪 ¡Qué sad!https://t.co/WwZK49ay92
– Diario SPORT (@sport) October 3, 2021
“There is not a single problem, there are several, released the central defender. People perceive it and know it. What we lack, it shows. These are tough times and many of those who make up the squad today have never experienced it. “
Here is the glorious Barça only 9th provisional in La Liga after seven games played, in the midst of a sporting and financial crisis, illustrated by the spectacular departure of Lionel Messi from PSG this summer. On the other hand, Ronald Koeman is still on the bench.
Koeman tense but maintained
Finally, he was in the stands of the Wanda-Metropolitano on Saturday night to serve the second and last of his two suspension games after his expulsion in Cadiz a fortnight ago. Visibly tense, the Dutch technician transmitted his instructions by telephone to his assistant Alfred Schreuder, his relay on the bench.
While the Catalan press announced that the club was very close to sacking its coach, President Joan Laporta gave him his “confidence” on Saturday noon, affirming that he “would remain the coach of Barça” at least until the return of the injured Ousmane Dembélé and Sergio Agüero.
“We spoke last night [vendredi] by phone and this morning [samedi], things from the club, about me. I asked the club to clear up the fact that they are counting on me, ”Koeman said. “But the president made his decision, he spoke very well this afternoon, so everything is fine. Finally, so to speak.