Barcelona will be just fine without Messi, claims Koeman
Stefan Bienkowski
- 14 Aug 2021 20:59 BST
- 5 min read
Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman believes his side will be just fine without Lionel Messi and has more than enough talent to bring joy to the club’s fans this season.
The Spanish giants have been in nothing short of all-out turmoil for much of the summer, after spending six months trying to put together a contract offer for Messi only to then see him leave the club and join Paris Saint-Germain.
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As part of the now failed attempts to lower the club’s wage bill to accommodate the Argentina international’s salary, Barca sold Junior Firpo, Jean-Clair Todibo and Carles Alena and made strategic free signings in Memphis Depay, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia.
However, rather than being a team in disarray, Koeman believes there is more than enough talent in his squad to challenge for trophies and achieve plenty of success this season.
’This is a very strong squad’
"A lot has been said about Leo [Messi] and that's normal. He is the best player in the world. He has won many titles, but he is gone. We're not going to have him and that's it.
“There is a very strong squad. We will recover the injured and we will have a very strong squad to achieve our objectives.
"There are no more excuses. We are who we are, but this team without Messi has had a great pre-season. Now we have to play without Messi, play with young players and put in more intensity. It's clear to me that this team is going to give us a lot of joy.”
Koeman added: “The departure of Messi has been experienced with sadness by all the culers. It is normal for all that he has given.
“These are things that happen, but there is a future and we must be hopeful because this team will give a lot. I am sure that we will raise the enthusiasm of the people.”
