LaLiga 2021: Teams showing more courage against Messi-less Barcelona, says Coach Koeman

Barcelona coach Ronal Koeman has admitted that other teams have become bolder while playing against Barcelona after Lionel Messi’s exit from the team, two weeks ago. In their second match of the LaLiga season 2021-22, Barca were held 1-1 away by Athletic Bilbao Club on Sunday.

Barcelona was trailing on the scoreboard until Memphis Depay’s strike cancelled out Inigo Martinez’s header and earned Barca a point at the later stage of the match. However, Koeman has admitted that the team is certainly feeling the absence of their all-time top goalscorer, Lionel Messi, two weeks after he left the team and joined the Paris Saint Germain(PSG).

If you give Messi a pass, he normally doesn't lose the ball: Koeman

While talking to reporters after the match, Ronald Koeman said, “I don't like to keep talking about the same thing but we're talking about the best player in the world and opponents are always more scared when Messi is around. It's also the same for us, if you give a pass to Messi, he normally doesn't lose the ball. You can feel that he is not here anymore. We all know it but we can't change it”. 

Watch the post-match reactions of Barca coach and players -

Speaking on their comeback in the match, Koeman said, “I think we ran into too many difficulties at the start of the game. They put us under a lot of pressure and did very well and we couldn't play with any patience. But I have to highlight the attitude we showed after we went behind. I think the draw is fair because if you play like we did at a ground like this you're always going to run into trouble. I have no complaints about the result.”

Barcelona, without the services of Messi for the first time, was off to a flying start in the LaLiga having defeated Real Sociedad 4-2 in their season opener on 15 August. However, they were provided with a reality check in their next match against the Athletic Club, which dominated most of the game. Barcelona will next play Getafe on 29 August. Meanwhile, Messi is expected to make his debut for PSG against Reims FC on 30 August.

(Image: @ronaldkoeman/Instagram)