- The second Barça coach explains details of his first months with players like the Argentine, Piqué, Busquets or Ter Stegen
Ronald Koeman is one of the great protagonists of this season at Barça, but part of the success of the Dutch coach is thanks to his second, Alfred Schreuder, who this Saturday has revealed some experiences in his first months on the bench at Camp Nou. Among the proper names stands out that of Leo Messi, a player who “understands everything, watches everything that concerns the team and is already thinking about the future.”
“We did a training session and Gerard Piqué had never done it with us. Piqué had been injured for a long time, so I wanted to explain what the intention is. Messi joined us and told me: ‘Alfred, it’s not necessary, I’ve already put him at the day. ‘That’s Messi, he sees everything. He understands everything, watches over everything that concerns the team and is already thinking about the future, like us, “he explained an anecdote about the Argentine in an interview for the Dutch newspaper AD .
That’s Messi, he sees everything. He understands everything, watches everything that concerns the team and is already thinking about the future “
The coach, who had previously been Hoffenheim’s head coach, explained that he had to change his Dutch mentality to adapt to a team full of stars: “Messi, Busquets, Ter Stegen: that’s the highest level, also in his thinking about football It would be strange if you were to scream or be the know-it-all who tells Messi: ‘Leo, that ball is playing in the left leg, huh … “.
Regarding the Argentine, he also highlighted the violence with which some rivals are used to try to stop him: “Teams such as Getafe, Atlético de Madrid or Athletic are willing to do everything forbidden. Messi has already received five or six fouls in matches. audience, you literally hear what the opponents say to each other. When Leo receives the ball, you hear: ‘He needs it!’, ‘Kick him down!’ But that doesn’t work and then they hit him with their hands. “
The experiences from the band in these months have made him realize the differences between Dutch and Spanish football. And in this regard, Henk Ten Cate, second to Rijkaard at Barça and who had Schreuder as an assistant in his time as head coach at NAC, was important: “At first you have to build a good relationship with those players. Then gradually, it can be more critical, “he advised.
But, without a doubt, the fundamental person for his arrival in Barcelona has been Koeman. “Ronald has always remained calm and collected with the group, even in the most difficult phases of this season, with all kinds of peripheral and political issues involved. You can also see the best players listening carefully during their talks,” he said about the hierarchy of his compatriot.