After Barcelona’s 5-3 victory against Real Betis, Ronald Koeman explained the reason Lionel Messi started the game from the bench.
To everybody’s surprise, Ronald Koeman decided to start today’s game against Real Betis with Lionel Messi on the bench. One would think he needed some time to rest as he’s been a starter in the Catalan club’s last 37 straight matches. Ever since last season, Leo hasn’t really rested in his attempt to win titles and his role as the club’s most important player. However, Koeman just revealed that the actual reason he didn’t start today is completely different.
As it turns out, the Argentine suffered a small knock and he wasn’t at 100% to play against Betis. If it wasn’t necessary throughout the game, perhaps Koeman wouldn’t have used Leo Messi but he was needed during the second half. Ansu Fati’s sudden knee ligament injury was the reason Leo had to come out to the pitch. We all know what happened next, another Messi dominant performance in just 45 minutes.
Koeman also praised Griezmann after the game.
“We talked to Leo, who came out of the Dynamo [Kyiv] game with a niggle and he was not fit to play from the start,” the Dutchman explained to reporters via Sport. “He was on the bench in case we needed him. If he was physically OK, he would have played from the start.”
“It is a big win for how much we needed the points and I am happy with our attacking play,” he added. “We created a lot of danger, with a lot of chances. The draw at the break was not fair. The team is better, missed a penalty and had more chances. We deserved to score in the second half.
“I hope [Griezmann] keeps working as he has done so far. You have to be there in order to miss. I’d like to highlight his character in staying here and continuing to work hard. He knows perfectly well that he has missed chances. Despite his bad luck, he’s always there to score.”
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