Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has said that the players should be more clinical in front of goal ahead of their La Liga clash against Valencia. The Catalan giants started the season with back-to-back wins where they scored eight goals and conceded none in the process. However, they have won just four of the next 10 matches in the Spanish top-flight and during this period, they have scored just 15 goals.
They recently made it two wins on the bounce after a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Real Sociedad and Koeman now wants his side to make the most out of the chances created, he told: “We always create [chances], but we must be more clinical. As everyone knows, Valencia will not be the best memory I will have had as a coach. It could be that I was wrong with some decisions. It was a short stay, but at least we won something: the Copa [del Rey]. It is a complicated place, because for the last 15 years they’ve changed coaches [a lot]. [There is] no peace of mind to work.”
The Blaugrana came from a goal behind to beat Sociedad, but they had to do it the hard way during the second half of the contest. Antoine Griezmann astonishingly failed to convert into an open net while Martin Braithwaite also squandered a wonderful headed chance. Eventually, they need some rear guard action at the back and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a double save late in the game.
The club are scheduled to host Valencia this weekend and the match could be tricky for them. They have beaten Los Che is just one of the previous five meetings across all competitions. Valencia beat them 2-0 in the recent league meeting at the Mestalla. Koeman will be hoping that his team can put up another impressive display such that they can climb up the table. The Blaugrana are currently placed 5th with 20 points, six behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who have played a game more.