By Andrew Atkinson
Ronald Koeman has said expectations need to be reined in at Barcelona, claiming the Catalans are not in a position to win trophies at present.
Barca have won four on the spin in La Liga, going into the weekend’s game, but remain adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid and will need to get past Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 if they are to keep their UEFA Champions League hopes alive.
Koeman said Barca are in a transition phase: “I have said several times that this is a season where we are changing things, we are opting for young players.
“Barcelona are not about to win a lot of things right now. We have to be realistic about where we’ve come from, the changes we’ve made.
“Not everything depends on one player. We always have to be ready to fight, but we have to be realistic. We know our situation in La Liga, it’s complicated.
“Until the day it’s no longer possible, we’ll be looking to win. In the Champions League there are more teams. There is no clear favourite.”
Koeman has been frustrated during the January transfer window, told there are no funds available to sign players: “It’s always important to have someone at the club working to improve our squad, if not in January for next year,” he said, amid reports of Barca’s €1.5billion debts.
