“I am convinced that if we win all five games, we will be champions,” Koeman said in his pre-match conference ahead of their visit to Valencia.
Barcelona are still fighting for victory in La Liga
Barcelona suffered a blow to their La Liga title hopes on Thursday after a stunning 2-1 defeat to Granada, but Ronald Koeman remains optimistic. The Dutch coach feels that winning the last five league meetings will be enough to raise the title towards the end of the season. “I am convinced that if we win all five games, we will be champions,” Koeman said in his pre-match conference ahead of their visit to Valencia. “The defeat of Granada was a disappointment because it was a missed opportunity, but there is no time to be sad. We are still fighting for victory in La Liga. Some things need to be improved, we talked, and I think the team is well prepared.”
The Blaugrana haven’t killed off the game
Koeman picked up a red card for saying something to the fourth official in the defeat to Granada, meaning he would not return to Mestalla against Valencia. The Dutchman was asked how he would work under such circumstances. “I don’t know. I must first know what is possible. I will speak with Carlos Naval to see what I can do,” he said. “We will talk and look for the best solution if possible to have contact”. There have been complaints that Barcelona are not in the best physical shape. “I don’t agree that we are not in good shape,” he said. “I think that in some games, we put ourselves ahead. We haven’t killed off the game. There are many more games in which the team was better in the final stretch than the opposite.”
Koeman praised the strength of the competition this season when discussing the title race. “It is a strong championship, with outstanding teams. Four teams are fighting for La Liga,” Koeman said. “There are three points in between. If you feel bad, stuck or lack something, you pay dearly. That’s the beauty of this season. There is no team superior to the rest. If you are not doing well, you lose points. That shows that it is a very strong championship.”