Koeman hopes Messi sticks around for start of Nou era

MADRID－New Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman said on Wednesday that one of his main priorities is to keep Lionel Messi at the club.

Barca's 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last Friday sparked speculation that, after the frustration of another European failure, Messi could decide to leave Camp Nou.

Speaking at his official presentation to media on Wednesday after being confirmed as the replacement for the fired Quique Setien in a twoyear deal, Koeman said he hoped Messi wanted to stay.

"I only want players who want to be here," was the Dutchman's first message, before discussing the Argentine superstar.

"I don't know if I have to convince Messi (to stay)," Koeman said."Messi is the best player in the world and you want him on your team, not on your opponent's. For me, as a coach, I'd love to work with Messi, because he wins you games. If he's at the ability and level he has always shown I'd be more than happy for him to stay.

"I need to speak to him, of course, he's the captain. Decisions need to be made but hopefully Messi stays here for years."

Quizzed on what he planned to say to Messi, Koeman replied:"These are private things between a coach and a player. I want to know what Messi thinks. And then it's up to me to take the decision. But he's such an important player that any team would want him."

Koeman, who spent six years as a player at Barcelona, vowed to restore the Catalan giant to former glories after its humiliation at the hands of Bayern－the club's worst ever European result.

"Like all Barca fans, I was sad at such a heavy defeat. You can't give that image even against a powerful team like Bayern. It's not what we want," he said.

The 57-year-old vowed to "fight to put Barcelona back on top", adding of his appointment: "It's a happy day. Everyone knows that Barca was for me. It's my home. It's a challenge and it won't be easy, it will demand the best of me and I like that.

"It was a dream and this dream became a reality."

Koeman, who had been in charge of the Netherlands since 2018 following an unsuccessful spell at English Premier League side Everton, becomes the fifth Dutchman to coach Barcelona after Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard.

In his six seasons as a Barca player, Koeman made 345 appearances, remarkably scoring 102 goals as a centerback thanks to his famously ferocious freekicks as he shone in Cruyff's 'Dream Team'.

He won four consecutive La Liga titles between 1991-94 and also struck the winner in the 1992 European Cup final against Sampdoria at Wembley, the Catalan club's first ever success in Europe's top club competition.

"It was written, one day, Ronald Koeman was to coach Barca. The time has come," said club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Koeman added: "I've signed, I'm the coach of Barcelona and we're going to work starting from now. Changes need to be made. The image from the other day is not the one we want to return to, not me, nor the players, directors, supporters, anyone."

The Bayern capitulation was the first time Barca had conceded eight goals in a game since losing to Sevilla 8-0 in the 1946 Spanish Cup.

Koeman said he would stick to his preferred Dutch style of possession-based soccer, staying true to the club's tradition, but distanced himself from suggestions that the likes of Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba could all be leaving the team.

Xinhua / AFP