Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman believes his team is not
among the favorites to win the Champions League title this
season, after the Catalan giants have a shaky start to the new season.
Before facing Hungary’s Francesvarosch on Tuesday at the
opening of his group stage in the Champions League, Koman
played down media expectations that Barcelona might be
crowned champion of this year’s edition of the tournament.
He said in a press conference: “Barcelona are always competing
for titles, whether in the Spanish League or in Europe, but the
team is not a candidate this time, although we may reach advanced roles.”
Barcelona’s failure in the Champions League in recent seasons,
where it reached the semi-finals only once since its last victory
in the title in 2015, was among the main reasons that experts
said was the reason why star Lionel Messi asked to leave the club.
And the Argentine striker expressed his desire to win the
European title again, and this season may be his last chance
to achieve this with Barcelona as his contract with the team
expires next year.
“We can say that Messi’s performance could be better, but if we
follow him every day we see that he is happy and wants to play
and lead the team,” Koeman said of the 33-year-old captain after
Barcelona lost 1-0 to Getafe in the Spanish League on Saturday.
A complaint or doubts about his efforts. ”
Coman will miss goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Jordi
Alba, as well as long-term injured player Samuel Umtiti.
