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Messi is Barcelona’s most important player: Koeman

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Messi is Barcelona's most important player: Koeman
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Lionel Messi is having a relatively off season by his own lofty standards.

The legend has scored 6 goals, 5 of which have been penalties. However, his importance to the team has been reiterated by Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman.

“They had already told me that Messi was unhappy,” Koeman revealed. “We spoke at his house. He gave me his reasons and I explained to him what I could change. I was honest – I told him the only thing I could change was the football.

“I could do my job, implement my system, convey the position I conceived he would play on the pitch and his importance as a player. I told him that the problems he had with the club I couldn’t change. In the end, staying was his decision.

“The feeling I got from him was good, and that’s important. Messi has shown me that he’s an ambitious person who wants to win things. He wants to continue being the best, even if he has problems with the club.

“I want the best for the team, and the best thing for the team is that Leo is well, as he is now, plugged in and engaged. He showed it the other day, against Real Betis, when he entered in the second half. To this day, Barça has been, is and will always be a better team with Lionel Messi than without him.”

See More: FC Barcelona Squad 2020: Teams, Salaries, Contracts and Transfers

Dest enjoying Barcelona experience

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Dest enjoying Barcelona experience
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One of the few bright spots for Barcelona this summer was the signing of Sergino Dest.

The right back was brought in by the club to replace the inconsistent Nelson Semedo.

While Semedo was shipped off to Wolves, the young US international Dest made a step up to join Barcelona.

“It’s been amazing, my dream came true!,” Dest said. “I play for Barcelona right now. I had a great debut, I think, against Sevilla, I thought I played well in that game.

“Other than that, we lost the Clasico, but for me, it’s just starting, hopefully I can [achieve] wonderful things with this beautiful club and develop myself as best as I can.

“It’s really nice to be part of that generation. I think it’s also good to play with a couple of young players so that they can adjust to the level.

“That way, [Barca] already have players for the future. I think it’s really smart that Barca does that right now and gives us the chance to improve quicker.”

He is naturally a right back but has also shown a keen ability to play as a left back while Jordi Alba was out injured.

See More: FC Barcelona Squad 2020: Teams, Salaries, Contracts and Transfers

Antoine Griezmann told to leave Barcelona due to Messi rift

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Antoine Griezmann told to leave Barcelona due to Messi rift
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Griezmann urged by former French international Bixente Lizarazu to leave Barcelona in the January transfer window.

The 29-year old forward was signed by Barcelona last summer for £105m but has failed to live expectations scoring only 11 goals in 42 appearances.

It has been vastly rumoured that he does not get on with Lionel Messi and Bixente Lizarazu urges him to move to away from the Camp Nou as soon as possible.

 

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“You can see that Griezmann is not happy on the pitch,” Lizarazu said in an interview with France Football.

“To play well, a footballer must feel supported. There must be a relationship of trust with the coach and teammates. I don’t see that.

“He does not find his place with Leo Messi. They don’t play together. The solution is to leave.

“You have to be able to say enough. Frankly, is it worth insisting. The environment is not good for him.

“The most important thing is to find a better environment to develop. Barcelona’s mess is too much .

“It is better to leave that so as not to continue falling, to go to a stable club where the coach wants you.

“Where? I don’t know, but it must be a great club. He will not enjoy staying at Barça.”

 

See More: 5 Barcelona Players Leaving: Top 5 Exits From Barcelona

Barcelona preparing January bid for Netherlands star!

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Barcelona preparing January bid for Netherlands star!
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Barcelona are preparing a bid for another attacker.

The Blaugranas have had a tough start to the new campaign and are looking at possible solutions for their squad.

The problem at Barcelona runs deep with the board under ex-president Bartomeu running the club to the ground financially and strategically. They were left unaided in the summer window and are now paying the price more than ever.

An already thin squad has been stretched with their teenage sensation Ansu Fati now ruled out for four months with a knee injury.

It is under such dire circumstances that the club are looking to make some changes with Ronald Koeman, the head coach wanting his own profile of players at the club.

One of his hot targets is Memphis Depay of Netherlands. The former Manchester United forward is currently playing for Lyon in France and is reportedly keen to move to Spain to play for the Catalans.

Depay would be deployed on the left side of a front three with Messi leading the line and misfiring Antoine Griezmann on the right.

It would see the club manage the expectations somewhat at least but January is still a fair way away.

See More: 10 Worst Barcelona signings: Top 10 worst Barcelona transfers!

Miralem Pjanic wants to leave a mark at Barcelona

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Miralem Pjanic wants to leave a mark at Barcelona
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Miralem Pjanic won’t be satisfied until he wins titles at Camp Nou.

Summer signing Miralem Pjanic revealed that he had to chance to join Inter Milan earlier on in his career.

The midfielder now in Barcelona was part of a swap deal where Arthur joined Juventus at the end of last season.

 

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“I am at the best club in the world with the style of play that I’ve always wanted to play, but I’m still not satisfied,” Pjanic said.

“I want to have the opportunity to win the great titles – that’s my goal, to be the best and win great titles. That’s what I want.

“I had the opportunity to go to clubs like Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in the past but it didn’t seem like the right time – I also could have gone to Juventus two years before I did, but I felt that it wasn’t the right time – I didn’t want to lose two years of regular football by competing to start in a team with Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal. Now I play for Barça and it’s a challenge.”

 

See More: 10 common Barcelona-Chelsea players: Top 10 players who played for both clubs

Depay Doesn’t Deny Move Away From Lyon Amid Barca Links

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Depay Doesn't Deny Move Away From Lyon Amid Barca Links
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Lyon captain Memphis Depay does not deny his move away from the French side.

He was asked whether he was indeed going to stay on at Lyon or whether he would leave for another club since he would be a free agent if his contract isn’t extended. To that, Depay said:

“You ask me a lot about this question. But I’m not going to make promises that I’m not sure I can keep. I think Lyon has to take advantage of my presence here now. And I have to take advantage of being here. And that’s what I’m trying to do. to do every day. You can ask those around me: I like to train and I try to be positive every day.”

Ronald Koeman had spoken about Depay’s move to Barcelona back in October – and said it was definitely ‘a possibility.’

“That (a move for Depay) is certainly a possibility. I will try, because I would like to have him here,” he stated in an interview with AD, through Spanish publication Marca.

“But I cannot estimate now what the financial situation of the club is in January. We will have to wait to see it.

“I do not have the role to decide this, it depends on the club. For me, it is a matter of waiting. We want Memphis because he is a great player and because he has qualities that, in my opinion, we lack, especially in depth in our attack.”

See More: Top 10 Barcelona Most Expensive Departures Ever

Ansu Fati To Be Out For Four Months After Severe Injury

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Ansu Fati To Be Out For Four Months After Severe Injury
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Ansu Fati will be out for 4 months after undergoing a meniscus surgery.

Fati will have a surgery on his left knee on Monday after he got himself injured during the Real Betis clash recently.

Renowned traumatologist Ramon Cugat in Barcelona met with Ansu Fati and diagnosed him with a meniscus injury on his left knee – and it’s rather serious and could see him out of action for the next four months at the least.

During Barcelona’s 5-2 Real Betis victory, Fati had to be taken out of the game at half time on Saturday and he was replaced with team captain Lionel Messi.

“Fati had some discomfort in the first half and we replaced him at half-time so as not to take risks,” coach Ronald Koeman told reporters after the game.

Barcelona also confirmed his injury after releasing a statement.

A club statement read: “The first team player Ansu Fati will undergo surgery [on] Monday for the injury to the meniscus in his left knee by Dr. Ramon Cugat under the supervision of the club’s medical services.

“Once this intervention is completed, a new communication will be provided with information on the result and the approximate time of withdrawal.”

See More: Barcelona All-Time Top Scorers: Highest Goalscorers for Barcelona

Jordi Alba Observed Squad Was Better After Messi Joined In

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Jordi Alba Observed Squad Was Better After Messi Joined In
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Jordi Alba commented on how the match went after he played for the entire time.

He observed that the squad was definitely better when Lionel Messi joined in on the pitch at half-time.

“We could gone to the break with a bigger margin in terms of the lead. We have to give a lot of credit to Betis, even with 10 they played very well. I think we could have been very far ahead at half-time if we had taken our chances, but that’s the way football is sometimes,” said Alba.

“We know how important full-backs are for Barca’s play, they have been for many years. We have the freedom to enjoy the attack. Sometimes when you play with teams who defend in numbers you need the full-backs to help. We are better defensively, we are compact as a team. But we have to improve because we are in a league where every team can create problems.

“The quality is there. The entire squad prefers Messi on the pitch because he gives you more options to win. He came on and changed the game. We were a different team with Messi on the pitch.”

See More: Top 5 Barcelona most expensive signings: Most costly signings ever!

Koeman Clarifies Benching Messi During First Half Of Real Betis Win

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Koeman Clarifies Benching Messi During First Half Of Real Betis Win
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Barcelona won 5-2 against Real Betis on Saturday.

Although Barca boss   was happy with the win, he said that the team missed several more chances to score – which included Messi being on the bench and Antoine Griezmann missing a penalty.

“We deserved the win and also to have led by more goals at half time,” Koeman said afterwards. “We had lots of chances and we missed a penalty. We went in [at half time] at just 1-1 but, in the second half, we kept our team spirit and scored five, which could’ve been more.

“I’m happy with [Griezmann]’s work. He missed a penalty and he didn’t score his chances. He was unlucky, but he’s always there to score. Mentally, that affects you. But he has confidence in himself and he scored. Leo gave him a great assist without touching the ball.”

Messi came on the field in the second half and was not in the starting eleven. Koeman explains why.

“We’ve been saying since [Friday] that he’d had some niggles since the game against Dynamo Kiev,” Koeman said on his captain. “We spoke and we decided to leave him on the bench in case we needed him.

“If he didn’t have any niggles, he would’ve played. We know who he is and I have no doubts over him. I see him work every day. He didn’t start, but he was very important in the second half.”

See More: Barcelona Most Goals Scored: All-Time Highest Scorers

Barca Presidential Candidate Tells Messi To Cut His Wages

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Barca Presidential Candidate Tells Messi To Cut His Wages
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Barca presidential candidate Toni Freixa has told Messi that he will have to cut his wages in order to prolong his contract.

Lionel Messi has been linked with a move to clubs like Inter Milan, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Freixa is determined on making the Barcelona legend pay if he wants to extend his contract.

“With Leo we will speak calmly, face-to-face with Barcelona’s best at the horizon,” Freixa told El Curubito . “To him, as to all the players who have to renew or sign, we will make an offer that, of course, will not be feasible to match the terms that he has had until now.

“It’s evident, and the members cannot be deceived, that the proposal that will be presented to him will not be the same as the one he has had until now, because income has fallen significantly and it will be necessary to find another formula.

“You don’t have to conquer Messi or convince him with other things. You have to look him in the eye and talk with him to know what each party wants, what he wants and what Barcelona want. We think Messi still has a lot of football left to play.”

“[Barcelona] have 121 years of history and experience. We will move forward. [However, if the signings the other candidates promise] are to happen with Barcelona’s money, I don’t see it so clearly.

“It would be another thing if they pay from their own pockets.”

See More: 5 Overrated Barcelona players: Most overrated players at Nou Camp