Barcelona confirm Koeman will not be sacked

Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has confirmed Ronald Koeman will not be sacked as manager.

Koeman has come under pressure at Camp Nou, with Barca going into the weekend seventh in LaLiga.

The Catalans also suffered back-to-back 3-0 defeats to open their Champions League campaign.

Koeman held an impassioned news conference on Friday ahead of the clash against Atletico Madrid on Sunday, accusing the club of a lack of respect by leaking stories about his future.

But on Saturday, Laporta moved to dismiss doubts over the coach’s future and said: “Ronald Koeman will continue as Barca coach, we feel he deserves a certain amount of confidence for many reasons. He’s a Barca fan, a reference for the supporters. He will continue and deserves some confidence.

“Koeman loves Barca and decided to come at a really difficult moment for the club institutionally and sportingly. After speaking with him, I see he has faith in the team, above all when he gets the injured players back. He has a contract (until the summer) and we hope to get back to winning ways and playing well. I am sure he will do everything possible.

“We can all understand the reactions because we are not getting results, but I ask the supporters to have some confidence in the coach, he deserves it, and to have faith in this team because when everyone is available they will be even more competitive.

“I’ve spoken with him and drawn my own conclusions. I value the moment he took over the club in. We spoken and it’s not true the relationship between us is cold. It’s a good and honest relationship. He’s a good person and I think he thinks the same as me. We are all trying to turn this around for the better.

“He has a certain amount of confidence regardless of the result.”