Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 12:26 PM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 12:41

A conflict has arisen within the management of Barcelona about the retention of Ronald Koeman as trainer, writes El Confidencial Thursday. While president Joan Laporta is not in favor of keeping the Dutch trainer on, three directors feel that Koeman will stay longer in Barcelona. That conflict would have led to an internal riot, it sounds.

Koeman had to report this week for an interview with Laporta and seemed to get off well at first. In the presence of Vice President Rafa Yuste, technical director Mateu Alemany and agent Rob Jansen, a conversation of about half an hour was held in the Camp Nou on Tuesday evening. Now it appears that Laporta has indicated that it wants to look for a new trainer. If it is up to Ramon Alexanko, Alemany and Ramon Planes (sporting director), however, Koeman will remain for Barcelona.

“They appreciate the good management of the Dutchman in an extremely complicated season,” writes El Confidencial. At the same time, he has brought youth back into the team, with Pedri, Ansu Fati, Oscar Mingueza and Ilaix Moriba as young talents. Moreover, Koeman is only halfway on his contract, which will run until next season. , with his assistants there, generate a loss of at least ten million euros. That is in addition to the debt that is already there. “

Case observer Jansen was still positive about the course of the conversation in Barcelona on Tuesday evening. “Everything went in a positive atmosphere and I personally had a good feeling about it,” he said The Telegraph. “The parties have found each other and there was mutual respect. The feeling is so good that Ronald could just stay longer. We are not there yet, more conversations will follow.”

Spanish media report that Laporta is working on a replacement for Koeman in the background. The president is said to have looked at several candidates seriously, including Julian Nagelsmann. The latter, however, goes to work at Bayern Munich and is therefore out. Hansi Flick also could not be tempted to transfer to Barcelona and signed with the German national team. The third candidate, Xavi, extended his contract with the Qatari Al-Sadd and will not return to the club that he served as a player for no less than seventeen seasons for the time being.