Barcelona face Atletico Madrid on Saturday afternoon for a huge match

Ronald Koeman doesn’t think the result will ultimately decide the title race. There will still be three more fixtures after this weekend’s match, but the Dutchman is hoping to win to try to make the most of any Real Madrid slip-up.

Koeman doesn’t think the match result will be decisive

Barcelona face Atletico Madrid on Saturday afternoon for a huge match at the top of the LaLiga standings. However, Ronald Koeman doesn’t think the result will ultimately decide the title race. There will still be three more fixtures after this weekend’s match, but the Dutchman is hoping to win to try to make the most of any Real Madrid slip-up. “I don’t know if the result of this match will be decisive, but it will be important,” he said in his pre-match press conference. “There are ups and downs in a season, and we’ve made up some points to be where we are. We couldn’t imagine where we are now just a few months ago. To be a champion, we have to win every game. I am convinced that if we win every game, we will be champions.”

Barcelona need to think about how to press Atletico

Luis Suarez will be one of the leading figures in this game, as he goes up against Barcelona for the first time since departing last summer, having missed the first meeting with coronavirus. “It will be weird for him and the players on our team,” Koeman said of Suarez playing at the Camp Nou. “But we are all professionals, and everyone will give everything to their team. We need to think about how to press them and we need to be good with the ball because they are a team who defend well. We have to be very good to create opportunities.” It is unclear if the coach will be able to be on the touchline, as Barcelona are appealing his ban.

“If I can’t be there, it’s just like Valencia’s game, and the assistant coaching is doing a good job,” he said. “We don’t have to go crazy if I can’t be there.”