La Liga: Koeman Appears to be ‘Dead Man Walking’

Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona

Whether you read elements of the Spanish media or the English media, there is a similarity in the tone in recent days.

That surrounds the future of Ronald Koeman.

The under-fire Barcelona boss will almost be certainly in charge of this La Liga clash in the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night but that may be where the Dutchman’s tenure in the Barca hotseat ends – regardless of the result.

The pressure on Koeman is telling – that was even before they suffered a second successive Champions League humbling in midweek.

A 3-0 home defeat to Bayern Munich a fortnight ago was embarrassing enough but the 3-0 loss at Benfica was unacceptable to the club’s hierarchy – a match in which one Spanish media outlet described the Catalans as looking ‘totally broken, disorganised and incapable of responding’.

Koeman’s dream job has certainly arrived at a nightmare time as far as the club’s stability is concerned.

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Talking Points

He and president Joan Laporta have had a strained – bordering on toxic – relationship since Laporta was elected as club president in March.

As if that dynamic is not bad enough, the former Holland boss has also had to deal with the fallout from Barca legend Lionel Messi’s departure from the Nou Camp and is in charge at a time when the club are in dire financial straits.

He didn’t help his cause in the eyes of many in midweek when fans’ favourite Gerard Pique was substituted after just half an hour in Lisbon.

With the team falling behind to a goal from Darwin Nunez after three minutes, the coach wanted to make changes. But when Koeman subbed off Pique he replaced him with 17-year-old Gavi, a young midfielder half his age.

It wasn’t due to injury and it wasn’t due to a change in system either as Frenkie de Jong was dropped back into the three-man defence.

Koeman’s supporters argued that the veteran was running a risk as he had picked up a yellow card just 12 minutes into the tie and Benfica were looking to target him.

Whatever the motivation, it served to humiliate Pique, one of the team’s undisputed leaders both on and off the field of play – another potential black mark against Koeman.

This weekend, the Dutchman will not actually be on the bench as he is serving the second of a two-game suspension. Yet it seems his tenure is nearing an end.

What good that will achieve is unclear.

In recent years, the club has parted ways with Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setien, both of whom are still owed money as part of their severance packages.

With Barca seemingly in disarray, reigning champions Atletico Madrid are expected to create La Liga highlights and pile more misery on Koeman and Co.

And after netting his first goal since his Los Rojiblancos return in Europe in midweek, now would seem the ideal time for Antoine Griezmann – recently returned to Atletico from Barca – to inflict the final blow.

Atletico Madrid will be looking to bounce back from their defeat in La Liga as they host Barcelona — Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann celebrates scoring their first goal with Rodrigo De Paul against AC Milan in Champions League

History

The corresponding fixture last year seemed a pivotal moment in the La Liga title race.

Yannick Carrasco netted the only goal on that occasion to earn Atletico a 1-0 home success which proved crucial in the final standings.

The nervy goalless draw which followed at the Nou Camp in May was also crucial as Atletico stayed ahead of Barca and managed to hold off the challenge of city rivals Real to be crowned champions a few weeks later.

Atletico may have only won two of their last 13 meetings but they were both last year and are fresh in their memory, including a Spanish Super Cup thriller at the start of last year.

They will also remember fondly the Champions League quarter-finals in 2016, played at their former Vicente Calderon ground, when two first half goals from Griezmann sealed a 2-0 success and a 3-2 aggregate win to send the holders crashing out after they had won the first leg 2-1.

Overall, Barcelona have triumphed in exactly half (31) of their 62 matches with 16 Atletico successes and 15 draws.

Betting Tip

	Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona	Atletico Madrid Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.26
	October 3, 03:00 (GMT+8)

It is doubtful that Atletico have been so clear favourites against Barcelona – at least this side of the millennium.

With the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds, the hosts are available with Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 1.94, 1X2 also @ 1.94 and Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 2.67.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are on offer Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.28 and 1X2 @ 3.95.

A re-run of last year’s 1-0 Atletico success will earn you a pay day of @ 6.00 with Correct Score and the 1X2 draw will pay out @ 3.35.

This fixture tends to be tight so goals can be rare. The odds in that regard include under 2.25 goals @ 2.14, over 2.75 @ 2.36, total goal 0-1 @ 3.10, 2-3 @ 1.90 and 4-6 @ 3.85.

I do think this will be close but I’m edging towards Atletico, spearheaded by a fired-up Griezmann and Luis Suarez.