Pep Guardiola insists Ronald Koeman ‘deserves one more year’ as Barcelona boss and ‘second years are always better’ after his struggling former team-mate was given a lifeline
- Pep Guardiola has backed ex-team-mate Ronald Koeman as Barcelona manager
- Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed last week that the Dutchman will stay on
- Man City manager Guardiola insisted that ‘second years are always better’
Pep Guardiola has backed his former Barcelona team-mate Ronald Koeman to remain as the club’s manager, stating that he ‘deserves one more year’.
Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed last week that the Dutchman will stay on as boss next season as he was handed a lifeline following a poor first season in the Nou Camp hotseat.
Former Barcelona boss Guardiola has thrown support behind Koeman and insisted that ‘second years are always better’.
Pep Guardiola (left) backed his ex-Barcelona team-mate Ronald Koeman as the club’s boss
‘Koeman is the ideal coach for next season, I am very happy and the president is convinced,’ the Manchester City manager told Cadena Ser.
‘It has been a difficult year for everyone and Ronald deserves one more year, with people in the stadium. Besides, second years are always better.
‘At times the team has played very well, they are among those who played better football in Spain.’
Barcelona endured a poor season under Koeman where they only won the Copa del Rey
Barca president Joan Laporta confirmed last week that the Dutchman will stay on as boss
The former Everton and Southampton boss took over from Quique Setien last summer following Barca’s embarrassing 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and was tasked with wrestling LaLiga back off Real Madrid.
However, they were eclipsed by Atletico Madrid in the Spanish title race and crashed out of Europe in the last 16, leading to speculation regarding Koeman’s future. The Dutchman did guide them to Copa del Rey success.
Guardiola and Koeman put football aside last week as they enjoyed a game of golf with their sons. The pair played together at Barcelona for five seasons – forming part of Johan Cruyff’s famous Dream Team as they won the European Cup and four league titles together.
Guardiola and Koeman recently put football aside as they enjoyed some golf with their sons
The pair were team-mates at Barcelona for five years as part of Johan Cruyff’s Dream Team
