Tensions seem to be reaching boiling point at Barcelona following another lacklustre performance Monday night to Granada.
With constant ridicule between the fans and the board and tactics of the management against the squad's performance, Ronald Koeman's future has been cast in further doubt.
The Spanish giants recorded a staggering 45 open-play crosses and were trailing to Granada for most of the game. Granada took the lead in the second minute thanks to a Coutinho Meneses Duarta goal. From that point onwards, Barcelona were on the backfoot.
With 15-minutes to go, centre-back pair Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo became makeshift forwards. Longball tactics became the answer for the Catalans as they searched for an equaliser. Araujo saved the faces of the Koeman's men with a 90th-minute equaliser, but a tense mood surrounds the club after another dull performance.
"People around Barcelona are very worried," said Dermot Corrigan, La Liga correspondent for The Athletic on OTB AM Tuesday morning. "The mood is just not good."
Fans, Players, and Koeman
Koeman has reiterated the lack of quality in the team compared to recent years. With Lionel Messi leaving for PSG this past summer, Barcelona is without a talisman to initiate attacks. However, speaking to NOS earlier this month, Koeman implied the team's attacking threat in the air has improved.
"When there's a cross coming in, Luuk (De Jong) is more dangerous than Neymar," claimed the Dutchman.
Despite Koeman's history with the club as a player, fans are not happy with results but are even more fed up with the style of play. Known for their Tiki-Taka style, Barcelona attempt to finesse results through silky passing plays. However, Koeman's reign has seen a departure from this and introduced a lot more crossing play.
"The Barcelona fans aren't happy with the play of the team," said Corrigan. "They don't care to win as long as they play a certain way."
While Koeman argues he does not have the players at his disposal, fans will not tolerate longball tactics for much longer, it seems.
Barca Board
Despite poor form, Koeman has merit to his argument. The quality of the team has downgraded in recent seasons. Playing Pique as a makeshift centre-forward for the final 15-minutes is evident of this. Koeman's claims seem to be directed at poor management from the club hierarchy over recent years.
"They squandered £120m on Griezmann, then loaned him back to Atletico. Coutinho had his first start in about a year last night. They spent £100m on Dembele, who is injured again and is always injured, it seems."
A lack of La Masia graduates has become a touting factor in Barcelona's image this last decade. Koeman has been criticised for not relying on youth but argues young players such as Pedri have shone during his tenure.
"Koeman has shown he has trust in Pedri. We've seen that over the last year, and he's even broke into the Spain side. He gave a debut to 17-year old left-back Balde last night.
"He has shown he does have trust in these players. The contrasting view is he doesn't show trust in the model of the way Barca wants to play to win."
With Koeman's job in the firing line, the next round of results will prove pivotal for the relations between the club and the fans.
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