Ronald Koeman booked a welcome Champions League victory with FC Barcelona on Wednesday evening, four days after the lost Clásico: for the first time in the history of the Catalan superpower, Juventus was defeated in Turin (0-2). In the Spanish press, Koeman, but especially child prodigy Pedri, receives the compliments.
‘Grandiose triumph of Barça in Turin’, headline Sports world. ‘For the first time, Barça wins in Turin, giving Koeman’s team a big lead in the Champions League group. It was the best way to get revenge after the defeat in El Clásico: Barça dominated from the first to the last minute against a title contender who didn’t stand a chance. ‘
‘It was the best ninety minutes of Koemans Barça’, concludes MD, which has nothing but praise for one of the stars of the evening: Pedri. ‘Europe discovers Pedri as a genius talent’, it sounds. The seventeen-year-old boy who does not yet have a driver’s license and therefore goes home by taxi, led Barça past Juventus with formidable class. He read the game overwhelmingly well and humiliated Juve-back Juan Cuadrado a few times. Pedri is monumental. ‘
‘TURINAZO’
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‘Pedri is the signing of the decade’, meldt Brand. Loosely translated: Pedri is the purchase of the decade. ‘Five million euros. When people recall in ten years’ time how Pedri ended up in Barcelona, it is good to mention this transfer fee. He is seventeen years old, but no one has any doubts that he is cut from the same cloth as the magicians who colored Barcelona’s history. ‘
Europe discovered on Wednesday evening who Pedri is, said Brand. At seventeen, he played against Juventus as if he were a world star. So it is normal that Koeman has let him start in the two most important games of the season. ‘
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Marca also had an eye for a chat between Koeman and Lionel Messi after the final whistle. As Messi walked to the locker room, Koeman put his hands on his shoulders. The two had a brief chat before giving each other a hug. A fatherly gesture from the trainer was the finishing touch of a great night for Barça in Turin. ‘
It is also stationed in Madrid AS saw a ‘champion reaction’ from Barça. There are also nice words for Frenkie de Jong’s performance. ‘The word versatility is too small for him. He played as a pivot in midfield in the first half and in the second half – after the injured Ronald Araújo retired, as central defender. He got a good pass in both positions. ‘
However, Pedri stole the show. The fact that a seventeen-year-old boy can play such a monument of a match against Juventus says a lot about the budding talent that Barcelona has in the selection. If we all hallucinate about Ansu Fati, we could all go crazy about Pedri right away. Koeman has gold in his hands. ‘
‘Barcelona rules in Turin’, headlines The country. Juventus missed the goals of Cristiano Ronaldo, but also Giorgio Chiellini and Matthijs de Ligt in the back. Barcelona dominated the game. There was only a lack of goals to emphasize superiority. ‘
The Newspaper saw a ‘great’ Barça. “Koeman has made history again: he is now also the first Barça coach to beat Juventus in Turin.” The trainer is awarded an 8 for his share of the success, as is Pedri. There is a 6 for De Jong, that of The Uncheck even gets a fail. ‘A 5, because invisible. His first half was very bad. He still has a lot to do to become the player he promised to be. “
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