Barca didn't have players for tiki-taka game, Koeman says after Granada draw

Koeman said his team, which was without a host of players due to injuries, could not play its short passing game because it failed to find space.

Published : Sep 21, 2021 12:53 IST

Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman defended his team's style of play in Monday's 1-1 LaLiga draw with Granada, saying his depleted side did not have the players who could execute its trademark tiki-taka passing game.

Ronald Araujo's last-minute header rescued a point for Barcelona as it limped to its second draw in four games, which left it in seventh place on eight points, five behind leader Real Madrid which has played a game more.

Koeman said his team, which was without a host of players due to injuries, could not play its short passing game because it failed to find space.

READ : Barcelona held 1-1 by winless Granada at Camp Nou

"We had to sacrifice our style of play a little bit to try and get the result, by putting crosses in rather than playing down the middle," Koeman told reporters.

"If you look at the squad list for the game, it's the only thing we could do.We can't play tiki-taka if there aren't any spaces. So that means we have to try and find another way to play. For me that's what has to be talked about, the fact that we tried everything to get a point. We know it's maybe not Barcelona's football, but this Barcelona is not that of eight years ago," he added.

READ : Taking a knee is losing strength, says Chelsea defender Alonso

The Dutch manager has come under scrutiny in the wake of the team's mediocre results, leading to speculation over his future at the Catalan club.

"I'm not going to talk about my future anymore," the 58-year-old added.

"We're unhappy because we want to win games, especially at home, but as I explained, the game was complicated and I think we gave our all on the pitch."

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