The Blaugrana head coach wants more from the French forward, who was the team’s second-best scorer in 2020-21.
Ronald Koeman insists Antoine Griezmann “must take another step forward” in the new season for FC Barcelona.
Barcelona are about to begin their first season in about two decades without Lionel Messi – the greatest player in the club’s, and perhaps also the game’s, history.
Messi’s presence in the team meant the rest of his Blaugrana teammates didn’t have to worry too much about scoring. After all, the mercurial Argentine never failed to score less than at least 30 goals in each of the last 13 seasons.
Now, the goalscoring burden will fall upon the shoulders of the likes of Griezmann, Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay, and Ousmane Dembele.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona’s La Liga season opener against Real Sociedad, Koeman called on Griezmann to try and fill the huge void in the team created by Messi’s departure.
“I love working with him, he’s a team player, he always helps without the ball, he’s always happy, he gives encouragement… he must take another step forward and be more clinical,” he said, per Marca.
“He will be more important without Leo, because he can occupy his position [on the pitch].”
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