Barcelona shortlist replacements for under fire Ronald Koeman

The future of Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is increasingly in doubt, following a frustrating 1-1 draw against Granada at the Camp Nou, amidst whistles and jeers from angry fans. Now the club is reportedly drawing up a shortlist of potential managerial candidates, should the board take the ultimate decision to fire the Dutchman as head coach.

Granada were winless heading into their encounter with Barcelona, although they almost earned a memorable victory, having taken an early lead after just two minutes. The home defence was quickly exposed when Sergio Escudero fired a pinpoint cross towards the far post, where Portuguese defender Domingos Duarte arrived completely unmarked, nodding his team ahead with the greatest of ease.

According to the statistics, Barcelona completely dominated the game and had 77% of possession, whilst also creating 17 shots on goal of which 6 were on target plus one against the woodwork. Nevertheless, those numbers mask a performance in which Koeman opted for more directness, which also featured 54 crosses attempted by his team, as this Barça side continue to move away from their traditional tiki-taka approach.

Koeman bemoans lack of suitable players

“We had to sacrifice our style of play a little bit to try and get the result, by putting crosses in rather than playing down the middle,” Koeman explained to reporters in his post-match press conference. “If you look at the squad list for the game, it’s the only thing we could do,” added the disappointed Dutchman, when questioned about the changing tactical approach.

“We can’t play tiki-taka if there aren’t any spaces. So that means we have to try and find another way to play. For me, that’s what has to be talked about, the fact we tried everything to get a point,” observed Koeman, pleased with the level of effort from his players, aside from the final score. “We know it’s maybe not Barcelona’s football, but this Barcelona is not that of eight years ago,” he concluded, growing annoyed by the questions about his tactics.

The increasing scrutiny about his position is another frustration for Koeman, having started the 2021-22 season with two victories and two draws in La Liga, along with a crushing 0-3 home defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. “I’m not going to talk about my future anymore,” Koeman insisted, when repeatedly asked if he feels his position is under threat. However, he did acknowledge the team was unhappy about being held at the Camp Nou.

Koeman leads La Liga sack race betting

After being held by Granada, who themselves have struggled to get results under their newly appointed boss Robert Moreno, the future for Koeman is looking decidedly dicey. After checking through expert reviews for the best football betting sites, many are already predicting that Koeman will soon be sacked. Before choosing where to wager, make sure online bookies offer competitive odds and appealing welcome bonuses.

Likewise, trust and reputation is everything when it comes to online betting, alongside a proven history for excellent quality of service. These are actually traits Barcelona should perhaps be looking for, as they weigh up whether to give Koeman more time, amidst reports the club is already considering alternative managerial options. Indeed, Catalan journalist Gerard Romero claims that Barça have drafted a list which now contains five candidates.

Top of the list is former player and fans favourite Xavi Hernandez, who has managed Al Sadd Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League since 2019, where he had retired as a player. However, getting Xavi might be difficult given the current economic situation at Barcelona, while the 41-year-old has already turned down one opportunity to take the job, apparently offered to him when Ernesto Valverde was fired in January 2020.

Barcelona have limited managerial options

While the fans clearly aren’t happy with the football Koeman’s team is playing, Barcelona do have good reason to pause before deciding whether to call time on his tenure, given that sacking the 58-year-old would apparently cost around €14 million in compensation. Given the delicate financial circumstances, it’s a choice the club would prefer to avoid, although internal sources have suggested it wouldn’t be a problem, if that decision became necessary.

An additional issue is that aside from Xavi Hernandez, the current shortlist of managerial candidates is hardly inspiring, insofar as restoring the traditional Barcelona style of play is concerned. Antonio Conte is arguably the highest profile option, although he resigned from Inter Milan after leading them to the Serie A title last season, largely due to the fact the Italian club was forced to sell key players. He has a successful record, albeit with a tactical approach that wouldn’t sit well amongst Barça fans.

Phillip Cocu has also been linked, should Barcelona lean towards another Dutch coach and former player, yet his recent managerial record is poor. He was fired by Turkish side Fenerbahçe after just 15 games in 2018, then sacked by Derby County in 2020, leaving them bottom of the English Championship. Essentially, it appears Barça no longer boast the same appeal, which means the club must ponder their next appointment very carefully.