At the beginning of the season, after the first round of fixtures in the Spanish La Liga, this question would have appeared more needless to ask than now. But now, of course, the question would surely be treated with more seriousness and concentration. Following the appointment of former Netherlands national team manager Ronald Koeman as the club’s new boss, the players were tasked with the responsibility of learning a new playing pattern.
The Catalan giants’ last league game was against Villarreal and they proved once again why they are one of Europe’s most in-form teams currently. After conceding an early opener against the Yellow Submarines, Barca reacted and responded almost immediately. Griezmann equalized just after one minute they conceded the early goal. And in less than five minutes later, the French forward struck again to hand the away team the lead.
Villarreal may not be a side that poses a huge threat to a club like Barcelona, but the manner in which Koeman’s men reacted to the goal was remarkable. It further shows the kind of mentality they are playing with at the moment. The result of the win was a further step close to the summit of the La Liga standings and with Atletico Madrid losing their own fixture against Athletic Bilbao, Barca could steal a march ahead of the Teo Madrid clubs and win the title in Koeman’s first season in charge.