FC Barcelona

Antoine Griezmann has said that Barcelona "is not the easiest place" to play football but is confident he will be a success at the Camp Nou following his summer move from Atletico Madrid.

The France international spoke to Telefoot (h/t Get French Football News) about his difficult start to life with the Catalan giants and what he needs to do to improve his performances.

"It is hard, I knew it would be, it is not the easiest place. This is a new team, a new club, new tactics, a new position. I have to work, try to understand my team-mates, after they will understand me too and it will work just like that… Critics will always be there. But I am good, I am proud of where I am. Only work pays off. I have to take confidence and it will all come just like that."

Griezmann is yet to have the impact expected of a player who cost €120 million when he swapped Atletico for Barcelona in July. He has managed four goals and three assists in 15 appearances for the Catalan giants.

Manager Ernesto Valverde has used Griezmann most frequently in a wide role on the left of the attack, where he has struggled to influence games and link up with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

The decision to deploy Griezmann out wide has come in for criticism:

Did Griezmann touch the ball today? Not an out and out winger. Still baffling as to why he’s glued on the left hand side.

— EiF (@EiFSoccer) October 23, 2019

Yet Griezmann has also struggled to impress on the rare occasions he has been used through the middle in place of Suarez. 

The World Cup winner played as a central striker in the 4-1 win over Celta Vigo in Barcelona's final fixture before the international break but endured another frustrating outing, as noted by Robbie Dunne at AS:

Messi's heatmap left, Griezmann's right. I swear nobody has any idea what his actual role is in this team. pic.twitter.com/qcYlgLRpvZ

— Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne) November 9, 2019

Griezmann has said playing centrally "is better for me" as it is a position he is used to, while he has received backing from France boss Didier Deschamps, who has described his situation at Barca as "far from catastrophic," per Sport.

There is no doubt that Barcelona are yet to see the best of Griezmann and he has not found his role in Valverde's team so far. However, his latest comments suggest he remains confident he can adapt and prove himself with the Spanish champions.

Barcelona director Eric Abidal hasn't closed the door on a return of star forward Neymar, saying his knowledge of the club philosophy means he will always be an option.

Abidal told Mundo Deportivo the Catalans will never rule out signing top players who fit the club (h/t Goal's James Westwood):

"A top player, who has a Barca philosophy and who is performing at a high level, will always be an option.

"From there, at the sports level we can make decisions, but the whole financial issue, there are things that you can reach and others that you cannot.

"The future will say. If it continues at this level, because the season is very long, I will not say that it will be option number one, but it can be a clear option."

Per the report, Neymar was strongly linked with a return to the Camp Nou throughout the summer. The two clubs couldn't come to a financial agreement, but the rumours have persisted.

The 27-year-old played for Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, winning two La Liga titles and the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League. PSG made him the most expensive player in the world when they signed him in 2017 for €222 million, but the Brazilian hasn't had the desired impact in the French capital.

While he has scored plenty of goals, PSG have failed to make their mark in Europe. Neymar has also missed a lot of games because of injuries and hasn't played for the club since Oct. 5.

When healthy, he remains capable of incredible moments, such as this late winner against Lyon in September:

Barcelona are expected to try to land him again in 2020, although the emergence of Ansu Fati and improved play of Ousmane Dembele means they have less of a need for another forward than they did in the summer.

PSG have barely missed him since he went down with his most recent injury, winning all but one of their matches. Their demands will likely once again be astronomical, but Les Parisiens have to be confident they can adequately replace him, either with a transfer or an in-house option.

Kylian Mbappe has been their top forward since joining from AS Monaco, and both Pablo Sarabia and Mauro Icardi have settled in nicely since the summer transfer window.

Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal has said both Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati are talking to the club about signing new contracts.

Abidal spoke to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Goal's Daniel Lewis), saying the Catalans hope Messi will renew his deal soon: "They are already talking. I do not know if we will have news soon because the decision will depend on the player, but for us as a club, I hope it is sorted as soon as possible."

When asked for a timeline, he said: "It will be known when it is known, but I am positive."

On Fati, Abidal spoke of the importance of protecting the youngster: "We are also talking to him. He is a young player that we have to protect. We have to talk to his family and representatives."

Earlier in November, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu told reporters Messi wants to end his playing career with Barcelona. The 32-year-old told Sport he would rather not sign a long-term deal but that he wants to stay at the Camp Nou.

Messi's contract situation has been a hot topic since El Pais reported his deal contains an opt-out clause he can trigger at the end of every season (h/t AS).

The Argentinian has only played professionally for one club, making his Barcelona debut 16 years ago:

On this day in 2003, Lionel Messi made his @FCBarcelona first-team debut in a friendly against Porto—he's evolved into greatness since 🙌 https://t.co/3yqbyHOXjY

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 16, 2019

Since that day, he has renewed his contract eight times, per Lewis. His deal is worth an astronomical €580,000 per week and runs until 2021. His buyout clause, which is mandatory in Spain, is set at €700 million.

The op-out creates a problem for Barcelona, however, and it's something they will be eager to get rid of in his next contract. Messi remains a key player for the Catalans, scoring eight La Liga goals already this season despite missing the start of the campaign because of an injury.

He's scored some massive goals for the club over the years:

Barcelona's newest star is Fati, the 17-year-old who made his first-team debut earlier this season and impressed with goals against Osasuna and Valencia.

The teenager has quickly become a popular figure at the club:

🔵🔴 @ANSUFATI, rock star. 🙌

Full story 👉 https://t.co/VjFTv4J0Wr pic.twitter.com/jTY2PVb4Ic

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 7, 2019

He signed his first contract in the summer, but his star has risen tremendously since then. Barcelona will want to move quickly to increase his buyout clause before another club can tempt him into a switch.

Barcelona director Eric Abidal has revealed the Catalans are following Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez as part of their search for a new striker.

Abidal spoke to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Football Italia), naming the Argentinian as someone they're tracking: "[Martinez] is a complete player. I think he's playing at a very good level. He is a player we are aware of, and we know of his quality, but there are also other players with these same characteristics."

Martinez's agent, Aberto Yaque, previously told Ole Barcelona were interested in his client but had yet to make contact (h/t Sacha Pisani of Goal).

The 22-year-old moved to Europe in the summer of 2018 and is in the midst of a breakout season with Inter. He impressed during his first Serie A campaign, although he needed some time to adapt:

Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan 18-19. Thought Inter bought one of the best young South American forwards in years for a big discount. Still finding his way a bit in Italy, but this is quite promising for his age. pic.twitter.com/UMWF2TaO3g

— Hudl Statsbomb (@Statsbomb) April 23, 2019

Martinez has taken a leap forward this season, however, forming a potent one-two punch with Romelu Lukaku. The two complement each other well, with both capable of playing in the open space. Lukaku is an expert at finding open spots in front of goal, while Martinez works as an excellent link between him and the midfielders.

Their best outing as a pair came in the 4-3 win over Sassuolo in October:

Martinez has five goals in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League this season. He scored at the Camp Nou against Barcelona, but the Nerazzurri lost 2-1.

He already has experience playing next to Lionel Messi, doing so for Argentina on Friday in the 1-0 win over Brazil.

The rising star shares some traits with Luis Suarez and could be an ideal long-term replacement for the Uruguayan. Like the former Liverpool man, he has excellent work rate and plenty of passing ability, as well as a nose for goals.

The 32-year-old has found the net six times in La Liga this season and remains one of the best attackers in Spain. The Blaugrana will have to start planning for the future, however, and will want to add competition for star prospect Abel Ruiz.

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has said he has "given everything" during his time at Barcelona and wants to continue enjoying his football amid rumours Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are interested in his services. 

Rakitic, 31, recently appeared on Movistar+ programme Universo Valdano (h/t Marca, via Football Espana's Colin Millar), expressing his desire to play after starting just once so far this season:

"I understand and respect the decisions of a coach, but I think I have given everything during these five-and-a-half years that I have been here and what I want is to continue enjoying my football.

"I enjoy playing. I trust my football. I'm 31, I'm not 38. I feel at my best, I think last year was the best year of my career, when I wanted to enjoy myself the most.

"It was after the World Cup last season was the best for me because I was at my best, and I'm working harder than ever. I've also set up a gym in my house, and I'm crazy about the details. I love football."

The Croatia international made his only start of this campaign in a 2-0 league defeat at Granada in September, when he was replaced by Arturo Vidal after an hour.

Atletico and Inter are reportedly willing to meet the €40 million (£34.2 million) asking price, though Ernesto Valverde may want to keep hold of a player who tends to make an impact off the bench.

Rakitic told Universo Valdano (h/t The Spanish Football Podcast) that being relegated from Valverde's starting XI was akin to having his toy taken away:

Rakitic on his situation at Barça: "How does my daughter feel when they take her toy away? Sad. I feel the same. They've taken my ball away, I feel sad" https://t.co/jAaByyC5yU

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) November 12, 2019

The playmaker has been important to Barcelona since he joined the club from Sevilla in June 2014, making at least 50 appearances in each of his five full seasons at the Camp Nou. He started in 48 of his 54 appearances under Valverde last term.

However, Frenkie de Jong's €75 million arrival from Ajax this past summer has added a new regular to the XI. The Dutchman is one of only two outfield players to have appeared in each of Barca's 12 league games so far this campaign (11 starts), with right-back Nelson Semedo being the other (10 starts).

Sergio Busquets, Arthur and Sergi Roberto remain among the other frequent fixtures in midfield, while Arturo Vidal has been used as an option too

De Jong is already a respected player in Catalonia, boosted by a nomination from France Football for the 2019 Ballon d'Or:

Among the nominees for the 2019 : Frenkie de Jong @AFCAjax
#ballondor pic.twitter.com/pVojnMjPMu

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 21, 2019

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill recently gave a glowing review of the playmaker after his side suffered a 3-1 defeat to Netherlands in October, via Omnisport:

https://twitter.com/OmnisportNews/status/1182606033912582144

Rakitic has made 278 appearances for Barcelona and has a contract at the Camp Nou that's due to expire in June 2021.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has railed against Sergio Ramos' claims that Real Madrid will be at a disadvantage before El Clasico on December 18 because they'll have over 24 hours' less rest than their rivals. 

The first Clasico of the 2019-20 campaign—originally meant to be played at the Camp Nou on October 26—was rescheduled following political protests in Catalonia. However, both clubs proposed and agreed to the new date.

Ramos spoke at a press conference prior to Spain's UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against Malta on Friday and said: 

"In the end, the only ones that are at a disadvantage by this are us. It's a pity that we didn't play the Clasico when it was meant to be played (on Oct. 26) because both teams would have gone into that Saturday game having had the same (rest).

"There is still a possibility to change that (date) and we hope for our sake that this will be the case. If that cannot be done, then we will go to the game with the same mentality, which is to win it."

Barcelona face Real Sociedad away from home on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. local time before Madrid travel to Valencia on Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. local time.

There were initial suggestions the October Clasico could have been hosted at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, but the fixture will be played in Catalonia:

OFFICIAL: The rescheduled Clasico will take place on Wednesday, December 18 📆🎄 pic.twitter.com/xeFwi85jdg

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 13, 2019

Pique told Cadena Cope (h/t AS, via Football Espana's Colin Millar) "there is always some kind of complaint," and that Real will simply have more rest for their next game after the Clasico:

"The game had to have been played the day it had to be played. If it had been the other way around, Barca would have complained (for having less rest). The players are used to playing games two or three days apart. At Barca-Madrid, you look at everything with a magnifying glass.

"Surely if we look at other times we have had less rest than Madrid. We did not propose to postpone the game. This started with (La Liga president, Javier) Tebas who proposed to play in Madrid and from there we played on Dec. 18. We don't complain.

"What about the Oct. 26 date? Nothing would have happened the day we had to play. At one specific point there were people who rebelled against the police, but nothing happened at the Camp Nou and I am convinced that nothing will happen.”

Euan McTear of Marca suggested El Clasico has by and large favoured the team with less rest in their more recent meetings:

Lots of outrage at Barcelona having 29 hours more rest time ahead of the next Clásico. But this article is interesting.
It shows that on only 1 of the past 7 occasions when a team has had more rest ahead of the Clásico have they actually won the match.https://t.co/sFf3ofLHRF

— Euan McTear (@emctear) November 14, 2019

Ernesto Valverde's side are due to face Alaves at home on Saturday, Dec. 21—three days after the Clasico—but Real won't host Athletic Bilbao until Sunday, Dec. 22.

Ivan Rakitic scored the only goal of the game when these teams last met at the Bernabeu in March, via Eleven Sports:

| GOAL! |

Ivan Rakitic opens the scoring with a beautiful finish at the Bernabeu!

Barcelona lead Real Madrid once again 😳#ElClasico pic.twitter.com/CJEYr4qEbL

— ELEVEN Football (@ElevenSportsFB) March 2, 2019

Barcelona are unbeaten in their last eight competitive meetings with Real—who last beat the Blaugrana in La Liga in April 2016—and won their last two clashes (both at the Bernabeu).

Former Spain team-mates Pique and Ramos are each sure to be crucial figures when La Liga's two biggest rivals finally face off in December, though neither party sounds fully content ahead of the rescheduled clash.

Brazil legend Pele has described Barcelona's Lionel Messi as "the most complete player" in the modern game. 

Per Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Chris Burton of Goal), when quizzed on which current star he would most like to play alongside, the three-time FIFA World Cup winner said:

"I think Leo Messi. He is a skilled player, gives assists, passes, scores, dribbles well. If we were in a team together, the opponents would have to worry about two players, not just one. Today Messi is the most complete player."

Just under a year ago, Pele came out with the extraordinary accusation that Messi "only has one skill" despite the reams of evidence to the contrary:

100 - Lionel Messi has scored his 100th goal in European competition (97 in #UCL, 3 in UEFA Super Cup). Landmark. pic.twitter.com/VqLZuVsLGk

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 18, 2017

📅 #OnThisDay in 2004, it all started...

👕 455 matches
⚽️ 420 goals
👟 162 assists
👑 10 #LaLiga titles

Today we're celebrating 1⃣5⃣ years since LEO MESSI's debut in #LaLigaSantander!

💙 @FCBarcelona ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0R7Gfb0Voa

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) October 16, 2019

It seems the 79-year-old has changed his opinion on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in the last year.

But Pele is of the view that there were more superstars in the past than there are now:

"Once you found two or three in every country with a great football culture. Eusebio, Simoes, [Johan] Cruyff, [Franz] Beckenbauer, [Diego] Maradona, Garrincha, Didi. How many did I say? There were so many.

"Today we have two or three in total. Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, I would say Neymar, who in Brazil has not yet managed to become a great figure."

Messi, 32, had a delayed start to 2019-20 due to a foot injury that kept him out of Barca's first four La Liga games of the season.

However, having returned to fitness, he now has eight goals in seven Spanish top flight appearances.

Only Karim Benzema has more with nine goals, and the Real Madrid striker has made 11 La Liga appearances this term.

In the Blaugrana's final game before the international break, Messi netted his first hat-trick of the campaign to propel Barca to a 3-1 victory over Celta Vigo:

🚨 Messi hat-trick 🚨
1 penalty and 2 identical free kicks. His set pieces are somehow getting better!

— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) November 9, 2019

As a result, the defending champions remained top of the table on goal difference ahead of Real:

How does it look for your team in #LaLigaSantander? 😀☹ pic.twitter.com/dFEHj177nD

— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) November 10, 2019

Barca are back in action on November 23 when they visit Leganes, who are without a win in their last three matches. 

France manager Didier Deschamps has played down Antoine Griezmann's mixed start to life at Barcelona. 

Griezmann joined Barcelona in a €120 million move from Atletico Madrid in the summer, but he has struggled to settle somewhat at the Camp Nou.

Per ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson, Deschamps said:

"Things could be better, but I watch each match, and things are far from catastrophic. It is also a question of how he is used. He was in his best role with Atletico Madrid.

"Perhaps he is less decisive [with Barcelona] than he is with us. However, he knows his importance to us and my confidence in him."

Griezmann has contributed four goals and three assists in 15 appearances for his new side, who will be hoping for more from him given the investment required to prise him away from the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

What has not helped is that—perhaps as a result of the Argentinian missing the start of the season through injury—he's yet to develop much chemistry with Lionel Messi.

In Barca's 0-0 UEFA Champions League draw with Sparta Prague earlier in the month, there was a moment when Messi—surrounded by three defenders—opted to shoot from the edge of the area rather than pass to Griezmann in space. 

Barcelona blogger Kevin Williams questioned his decision not to pass to the Frenchman after his shot came back off the woodwork:

Did Messi not trust Griezmann there? Pass was begging.

— kevinwilliams (@kevvwill) November 5, 2019

There wasn't much understanding on show in Barcelona's 4-1 win over Celta Vigo last Saturday, either:

0 - Lionel Messi y Antoine Griezmann completed 0 passes between them in the first half against Celta de Vigo. Chopped.#LaLigaSantander #FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/K1uMm2uFh5

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 9, 2019

Such statistics have sparked talk of the pair not getting on with one another, but ESPN's Samuel Marsden dismissed such speculation:

nooo

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) November 9, 2019

AS' Robbie Dunne suggested a different reason why Griezmann may have struggled to settle:

He's *kind of* playing as a striker but also threatened to be a midfielder there for a minute and has also popped up on the right once or twice. One touch inside the box.

— Robbie Dunne (@robbiejdunne) November 9, 2019

If he has not been given clear instructions as to his role in the team, then perhaps manager Ernesto Valverde bears responsibility for not integrating him well enough.

The 28-year-old contributed 133 goals and 50 assists in 257 appearances for Atleti, and he's got 29 and 22, respectively, in 76 matches with France.

There's plenty he can offer Barcelona in an attacking sense, and he's also a forward who will put in the hard yards defensively.

With more time to settle—and perhaps some better coaching from Valverde—he can be an enormous asset to Barca.

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has said "it would not be strange" if the team looked to sign another striker. 

Suarez has been a huge hit with the Blaugrana since arriving in 2014, helping them win four La Liga titles, four Copas del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.

However, the club signed Antoine Griezmann in the summer and were strongly linked with a move for Neymar. While neither are natural centre-forwards—where Suarez operates—the Uruguay international has said he understands the club needs to look to the future, per Ovacion (h/t Alex Milne of the Daily Mirror):

"The demands at Barcelona are immense. Every three days you have to have a test, there is no rest, and you are not forgiven if you have even just one bad game. It is not easy to play at a club like Barcelona, to adapt and win your place. I have to respect that I have spent five years at the club dealing with this pressure and always trying to respond in the right manner.

"... If the club are looking for, or wish to bring in another number nine, it would not be strange, it is the reality of football. A time will arrive when my age will not allow me to play at the level Barcelona require, but while I can, and while I have the strength to compete, I will."

Regardless of what happens with Suarez in the future, he will be considered a Blaugrana legend for what he has won and the goals he has scored; only Lionel Messi, Cesar and Laszlo Kubala have more goals for the club than their current No. 9.

Per OptaJose, there's no team that has played against Suarez in La Liga that he hasn't scored against:

27 - With his goal against Real Valladolid, Luis Suarez has scored against every team he has faced for @FCBarcelona in LaLiga (137 goals in total). Collector. pic.twitter.com/zlJGn50e4Q

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) October 29, 2019

Although he has netted six goals in La Liga this season, in general play the 32-year-old hasn't been at his best, per Rafael Hernandez of the Grup14 fan site:

Another ninety minutes of Suárez ruining every play that comes to him and perhaps scoring a goal so Valverde can continue to allow the player to ruin Barcelona’s season come March, April and May.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) November 2, 2019

However, aside from Messi, the rest of the Barcelona attack is struggling to function, meaning Suarez continues to get regular minutes.

Manager Ernesto Valverde has only sporadically called on Ousmane Dembele this season because of issues over his form and fitness, while Ansu Fati is a fantastic prospect, albeit just 17 years old and subsequently raw.

In addition, Griezmann has had a slow start to his life at Barcelona and has not been able to find much chemistry with Messi:

Not a single pass between Messi and Griezmann in that first half https://t.co/HmlBaHCEqe

— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) November 9, 2019

At his best, Suarez is an unstoppable presence up top, as he relishes battles with defenders, works hard for the team and scores goals. In his time as a Blaugrana player, he's been an ideal foil for Messi and key to the team dominating Spanish football.

There have been some small signs that he is past his peak this term, although he's by no means the biggest issue in what is currently an inconsistent Barcelona team. If the club are to splash out on big-name players in upcoming transfer windows, other positions would benefit from reinforcement more ahead of the attack.

Ronald Koeman is open to the idea of managing Barcelona, but only after overseeing the Netherlands complete their campaign at UEFA Euro 2020.

Koeman, who represented Barca brilliantly as a player, spoke about a scenario where he would replace Ernesto Valverde in the dugout at the Camp Nou. The 56-year-old called the idea "a possibility, but only after Euro 2020," per MailOnline's Nathan Salt.

At the moment, Koeman is focused on the job with his country: "I don't know if I'll keep (talking about the Barcelona role) in the future because it's a bit strange to speak about the possibility of going to the club while you're the Netherlands coach."

Koeman's job will continue with Saturday's game against Northern Ireland. The Netherlands sit atop Group C in the qualifiers with Koeman reviving the squad following a failure to reach the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Part of the turnaround has hinged on his ability to get the most out of underrated talents including Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum:

⚽️Most goals for @OnsOranje since Ronald Koeman appointed in February 2018⚽️

1⃣1⃣ Memphis Depay
7⃣ GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM
4⃣ Ryan Babel
4⃣ Virgil Van Dijk pic.twitter.com/IgNHYf7s8Q

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 13, 2019

Barca would be hoping for a similar impact given how inconsistent results have been under Valverde. The latter has won back-to-back La Liga titles, as well as the 2018 Copa del Rey.

Those triumphs have been counterbalanced by some significant setbacks, most notably blowing a 3-0 first-leg lead to lose 4-3 to Liverpool in the semi-final of last season's UEFA Champions League.

A recent 3-1 defeat away to Levante heightened the pressure on Valverde, with doubts and dissent increasing following the poor 0-0 home draw with Slavia Prague.

Ernesto Valverde has just been asked in the press conference after Barcelona lost to Levante if he should resign. He said no.

— Richard Martin (@RichMartinMcr) November 2, 2019

Barca have been linked with Marcelo Gallardo as a potential replacement, but the River Plate chief has played down the talk, telling Globo Esporte (h/t Football Espana): "No one has contacted me about anything (related to Barcelona)."

Koeman may make a more realistic target since he has an agreement with the national setup regarding interest from Barcelona. Dutch FA director Nico-Jan Hoogma told Fox Sports (h/t Oli Gamp of MailOnline) in October how Koeman could leave his post after the tournament if Barca were to meet a clause in his contract.

This is not the first time Koeman has left the door ajar regarding taking charge at the club where he once thrived as a member of the 'Dream Team' assembled by the late, great Johan Cruyff.

Ronald Koeman was asked about those Barcelona rumours:

"I think this [press conference] is about the Dutch national team, so I would like to leave it at that."

That's not a 'no', then 👀 pic.twitter.com/K9v8MhaNl8

— GOAL (@goal) May 28, 2019

Style might be an issue if Koeman took the reins at the Camp Nou. He's been a pragmatic coach during a club tour that's taken in Ajax, Valencia, Southampton and Everton among others.

However, Koeman is steeped in the footballing tradition at Barca, where he won the European Cup as a cultured defender in 1992.