“I can understand the club, because it can make money and expand the brand around the world. But it’s not good for the players. We complain about the competition schedule and the many trips. But I don’t think it is fair in terms of competition either, because for us it is an away match that is now being played on neutral grounds. I would understand other clubs if they are not happy with that. It’s strange that we’re going to play the Spanish league in America. At least that’s what I think. Are we being listened to? I don’t think so, because we are going to play there.”
Frenkie de Jong and Ronald Koeman fool around at press conference: ‘Glad you said that’
National coach Ronald Koeman also doesn’t like playing in America. “It doesn’t make sense. Frenkie gives a very good explanation. Villarreal is always a difficult away match for FC Barcelona and you now play it on neutral ground, where ultimately there are more Barcelona fans than Villarreal fans in the stands. So that’s not sporty.”
Wrestling against Lithuania
Naturally, in the small press room of the Ta’Qali National Stadium it was also about the Dutch national team. Without the injured trendsetter De Jong, the Dutch team struggled in Lithuania (2-3). “I was happy that we won, because that was the most important thing in the end. But I think everyone knows that this is not the level at which we want and should play. That can happen once as long as it doesn’t happen too often,” said the former Ajax player who is about to extend his contract with FC Barcelona until the summer of 2029.
“That will happen eventually,” he did not want to waste any more words on the matter in Valletta. “I don’t know exactly when that will be. But if there is news about that, you will hear about it.”
He has now played more games (266) in the Barça shirt than Koeman (264). And he has the Dutchman with the most matches for the Catalan superpower, Phillip Cocu (292), in his sights. “Whether someone is going to dethrone me? I have to pass Cocu first. But if everything goes well, it should be possible. And that’s super fun. I would consider it an honor. But the coach (Koeman, ed.) has won the Champions League, so I still have some things to do.”
National coach Ronald Koeman missed training of the Dutch national team due to the situation with his wife: ‘That means something’
Also with Orange, by the way. “Like a number of other countries, we have a good generation, a talented selection with a lot of quality. We are going for the highest possible,” he answered when asked how far the Dutch team can reach at the World Cup. “But we have to qualify first.”