KOEMAN FACES SCRUTINY
Ronald Koeman said Barcelona were not ready yet to win the biggest trophies but Paris Saint-Germain showed them on Tuesday how far they have to go.
Kylian Mbappe ran riot at Camp Nou, his hat-trick signing off one of the great individual performances of the Champions League era and elevating his status to arguably the most dangerous player in the world.
The 22-year-old certainly outshone Lionel Messi, even if snap comparisons are perhaps unfair on the Argentinian, given the mismatch in the teams each had behind them. This was not a contest between Mbappe and Messi nor a failure on Messi’s part that his Barcelona side were overrun, outclassed and ultimately obliterated, a 4-1 defeat putting PSG within sight of the quarterfinals.
Instead, it was a reality check for Koeman’s Barca, a brutal assessment of where they are in their recovery and a measure of the distance still to be covered before they can rejoin Europe’s elite.
“I know where we are,” said Koeman. “We have to change but we are not at the end of this road, we are halfway through.”
The problem for Koeman was not the result, which many had expected before Neymar’s injury and a string of encouraging displays in La Liga raised false hope.
If the mauling by Bayern Munich last season was the end of something for Barcelona, a cycle finished and players subsequently discarded, Koeman’s project is, in theory, just beginning.
Of those that played on Tuesday, Pedri is 18 and Sergino Dest 20, with Oscar Mingueza, Francisco Trincao and Riqui Puig all 21. Ousmane Dembele and Frenkie De Jong are both 23.
For some of these players, this was the biggest game of their careers and it showed, the usually immaculate Pedri miscontrolling a pass or De Jong stumbling into an opponent instead of gliding by.
And yet what may trouble the players, Messi and perhaps Barcelona’s incoming president next month was the extent of the gap, how by the end the fulltime whistle felt like a relief.
In an interview with Movistar television afterwards, De Jong struggled to find the words. “I don’t know, there is one leg left,” he said. “It will be very difficult, we all know that, but we will try.”
‘WE HAVE TO CHANGE’
“There is always another match,” said Koeman. “But after a 1-4 (loss) at home I’m not going to lie to you, there is very little chance.”
He had gambled on the fitness of Gerard Pique and then took him off with 12 minutes left, not for injury but preservation. “There was no need to take risks,” said Koeman, who was even asked if he had the desire to carry on.
“Fortunately I’m a fairly honest and up-front person,” Koeman said. “If I was someone who gets happy when we win and then after a result like today said I had no desire to continue, that would be crazy.
“I know where we are. We have to change but we’re not at the end of this road, we’re halfway through.”
Before kick-off, Koeman had arrived at the stadium gates in his car, with Barcelona fans cheering as they saw him and chanting his name.
Since his appointment last summer, Koeman has stabilised Barca, instilled a sense of purpose and promoted youth. He inherited a mess and has brought direction.
But he will know all that is just a platform, that the weeks between now and June will be what define his season and ultimately whether he stays on as coach.
Barcelona are eight behind Atletico Madrid in the league, trail 2-0 to Sevilla in the semifinal of the Copa del Rey and now have a mountain to climb in Paris.
Some sort of crescendo may be needed. Even if PSG cannot be caught in the second leg, Koeman cannot afford humiliation. Not everything can be put down to transition.
“I am not sad,” said Koeman. “It is a path that we are trying to go down and it’s not the end of this path yet. It seems I am more realistic than others.” Others may not be as patient either. SuperSport.
Kaizer Chiefs suffered their third successive defeat as AmaZulu walked away with all three points from FNB Stadium yesterday afternoon.
It was not a great start for Chiefs as Happy Mashiane was forced off inside 15 minutes with a thigh injury and replaced by 2016/17 PSL Footballer of the Season Lebogang Manyama.
AmaZulu carved out the first real chance of the match as Luvuyo Memela’s volley from inside the box was comfortably dealt with by Itumeleng Khune, who was well positioned to catch the goal-bound effort.
Chiefs had a great opportunity to open the scoring in the 28th minute from a Frosler corner but the ball was cleared from danger before Manyama’s follow-up shot was off target.
Augustine Mulenga rattled the woodwork just after the half-hour mark with a thunderous strike from range that beat Khune but couldn’t creep in underneath the crossbar.
Darrel Matsheke saw the first of his two bookings on the day when he left his studs in a challenge on Mulenga a few minutes later.
Chiefs were punished by — that man again — Mulenga on the stroke of half-time as the hosts’ defence were split apart like a hot knife through butter, with Khune left stranded after an initial shot that had to be cleared off the line by Erick Mathoho.
Chiefs eventually registered their first effort on target in the 61st minute as Samir Nurkovic got on the end of a Reeve Frosler cross but the Serbian’s header was stopped by Veli Mothwa at his near-post.
Nurkovic earned a penalty five minutes later after being held back by Tapelo Xoki as he tried to get beyond two AmaZulu defenders inside the box, with substitute Leonardo Castro stepping up to slot home the leveller from 12 yards out.
Usuthu were again denied by the crossbar in the 71st minute when Siphelele Magubane worked himself into space to unleash a curling effort that rattled the frame of the goal.
Matsheke received his marching orders with 15 minutes left on the clock after picking up a second yellow card for a foul.
AmaZulu capitalised on the one-man advantage as Lehlohonolo Majoro capitalised on a blunder from Khune, whose effort to clear a cross fell for the ex-Chiefs man to flick the ball into the back of the net.
Nyoni undergoes surgery
Gabriel Nyoni underwent a surgery yesterday for an injury.
The winger received a crude tackle which resulted in him being taken off with just 15 minutes on the clock, during Cape Umoya’s Glad Africa match against Richards Bay on Tuesday.
“I hope its not the end. Never thought one day I will be in this condition.
“Lord Heal me. Thank you for those who have been wishing me well. Surgery tomorrow(today),” he wrote on his social media.
The former Highlanders captain moved to the Cape Town-based side after parting ways with Maritzburg United last season.