The Blaugrana manager thought about how the team fared and how his club lost in the final on Sunday
Ronald Koeman sympathized with Lionel Messi’s harassment after he dismissed the superstitious captain in Barcelona’s Supercopa de Espana final loss against the Athletic Club.
Messi saw red for the first time in a prestigious course at the club as La Liga giants Barca caught up 3-2 with Athletic after extra time in Seville on Sunday.
After Athletic star Inaki Williams hit in the third minute of extra time, Messi swam at Asier Villalibre in an off-ball event that saw VAR and referee Jesus Gil Manzano signify a red card.
Messi – who was sacked to leave Camp Nou amid links with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain – is facing a lengthy ban, but Barca head coach Koeman has defended the 33-year-old.
“I can understand what Messi did,” Koeman later said. “I don’t know how many times they beat him, and it’s a normal response when they keep trying to deceive you as a player looking to dribble with the ball, but I have to see his -again as it should be. “
POST-GAME REVIEW | @RonaldKoeman analyzes Barça’s loss in the Spanish Super Cup final. pic.twitter.com/dVPww17aGf
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 17, 2021
Messi, who was fouled eight times against Athletic, suffered a minor injury to return to the Barcelona linebacker in his 753rd view for the Catalan club.
“Leo knows, after so many years in a football elite, perfectly whether he’s in condition or not,” Koeman said. “We talked before, he said he was in a state of playing the game, he’s given up most and nothing else.”
Antoine Griezmann has scored twice for Barca, including the 40-minute opener, but his goals were postponed each time at Estadio de La Cartuja.
Athletic Oscar de Marcos equalized in the 42nd minute before the Villalibre substitute added extra time at death, after Griezmann recaptured Barca’s lead with 13 minutes left.
Williams went up with a sublime goal when Barca – third place in La Liga and seven points from Atletico Madrid leaders – lost out on their first title under Koeman, who replaced Quique Setien ahead of a campaign. 2020-21.
“We are sad, disappointed with the outcome,” Koeman said. “We played the final to win and not to lose, yes, but there’s no time to go off. We’ll be playing soon, there ‘s a cup and a league, there’s no time for remorse.
“We have done positive things, we have improved. We have failed in the goals we have achieved. We need to be stronger in defense. We need to defend better in the area and not let the opponents think, they can’t control, turn and shoot easily .. We can improve.
“My job, I will give the most I can. My job is not very good if we had won, or very bad to lose. We are on the way, there are positive things, though which is a very sad loss today. “