Barcelona sack manager Ronald Koeman after defeat in La Liga
Barcelona have sacked manager Ronald Koeman after just 14 months in charge. The decision came after the Spanish giants suffered a 1-0 loss away against Rayo Vallecano. Barca have struggled this season and Koeman looked out of character with a lot of pressure surrounding him. Koeman had managed to see Barca finish third last season in La Liga. Here are the details.
Barca issue a statement on Koeman
In a statement, FC Barcelona said: "The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him [Koeman] of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano. Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday."
Why does it matter?
Barcelona are in a big crisis and the results haven't gone their way. Having to balance the books saw Lionel Messi forced to leave in the summer. They also let go off Antoine Griezmann. Under Koeman, the pressure kept mounting as losses piled up. The job seemed too big for Koeman and issues on and off the field played a role.
Barca have been inconsistent this season
Barca are placed ninth in La Liga standings with just 15 points from 10 matches. They suffered a second successive league defeat, including three in the last five games. At the moment, they are six points adrift of leaders Real Madrid (21 points). Barca are third in Champions League Group E. They have collected three points from three matches (W1 L2).
Unwanted numbers for Barcelona against Rayo Vallecano
Barcelona are winless in their last four away trips in La Liga (D2 L2), failing to score in the last three games. They have also failed to score in three away La Liga games for the first time since since February 2003 (3). Barcelona failed to register a shot on target in the first half of consecutive league games for the second time.
A look at Koeman's stats at Barca
Koeman managed Barca in 67 games, winning 39, drawing 12, and losing 16. He had a win percentage of 58.21. Koeman helped Barcelona win the Copa del Rey in 2020-21.
