BARCELONA – Ronald Koeman remains firm in his confidence that Barcelona is in a position to win the League, after a day in which his stumble against Atlético was followed by another draw by Real Madrid that keeps the championship open.
“We are still there. It is clear that the situation is different because Atlético is two points higher, but we must not think about the others, but about ourselves,” revealed the Dutch coach on Monday, who declared that the fight “is very equalized by many things, injuries, the rival, the pressure … There are difficulties for us but also for others and we have to survive. There is less and less left but the League is still very close. “
“We are going to fight until the last second,” he reiterated. “We do not have to make any more mistakes. We are going to fight until the last second to win the League,” he proclaimed, with a firm speech and ignoring any sign of pessimism or conformity.
The Barça coach reviewed the match against Atlético revealing that it had “two different parts. We didn’t go well and it was difficult for us in the first half that they were better, but in the second we improved and we had our chances to score. It was a very disputed match, against a physically strong opponent, against a more experienced squad than ours because we play with two 18-year-old midfield players and two 20-year-old defenders.
In this sense, Koeman wanted to put on the plane the growth of his team during the season: “We have to analyze where we come from, we have won a title, we opted for another title and there are three days to play.”
“The team is fair, but as it happens to other teams,” he admitted regarding the accumulated fatigue. “There are many players who have played for their countries, many games, and playing on your field without your audience costs more because you don’t have the help of your fans. That is why we have left a lot of points at home, and perhaps that is why we have also won. more points out, “he sentenced to argue the many points that have been escaped at home and stating that the team that arrives” stronger physically and mentally, will win because all the teams are very fair.
“If someone can’t talk about the referees, that’s me,” said the Barça coach when questioned about Real Madrid’s complaints about Sunday’s refereeing. “I already said what I thought and if Madrid feels harmed it is their issue … But it is true that coaches and players do not know when hands are called, and that happens in all countries, not only here “he solved.
“I watched the first twenty minutes” he answered the question of whether he followed the Real Madrid game against Sevilla, explaining that “afterwards I went to Milan-Juventus because I get nervous watching the other teams, although I was clearly aware”, solving that playing before his rivals, now, is not a question that marks him too much “because sooner or later we have to win. It depends on the result you get, although if we win tomorrow we will become leaders and that is a good point in favor” .
“If the team is well, I don’t make many changes,” he acknowledged as an argument for the little weight that various substitutes have had during the season, mainly Pjanic or Riqui Puig. “Those who do not play so much have to be prepared for when it is their turn,” he repeated in a speech already expressed during the season. “
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