Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has responded to criticism from Real Betis captain Joaquin following the two working together at Valencia over a decade ago.
Dutch boss Koeman had a short stint in charge at the Mestalla in the 2007-08 campaign but only lasted five months at the helm.
Despite guiding the club to the Copa del Rey title that season, Koeman won just 11 of his 34 matches at the helm and he was sacked from his position with his expensively-assembled squad languishing in 15th place in La Liga.
Joaquin was one of Los Che’s star players at the time but was one of a number of players at the club who did not see eye to eye with Koeman.
The two will meet again on Saturday, with veteran winger Joaquin set to captain Betis as they travel to face the Blaugrana at the Camp Nou.
When asked earlier this week if he would like Koeman to be appointed as Betis boss, Joaquin laughed and responded emphatically: “Not even as a kitman!
🚨⚽ @JoaquinArte, en @ElLarguero
😒”Mi experiencia con Koeman en el Valencia no fue agradable”
🤔 KIKO: “¿Si fueras presidente del Betis, te lo llevabas de entrenador?
😡@JoaquinArte: “Ni de utillero Kiko. Nos dijimos de todo. El sábado no me va a saludar ni le voy a saludar” pic.twitter.com/jcJUivyHnk
— El Larguero (@ellarguero) November 2, 2020
“I did not have a good experience with him, although I have moved on – it was not something that lasted long and we managed to save the season.
“Look, on Saturday he will not say hello to me and I will not say hello to him, that’s that.”
Koeman has now responded to those comments ahead of Saturday’s match.
“I understand that it is an interesting topic for us, but I do not want to get into it,” Koeman told his pre-match press conference on Friday, in quotes carried by Marca.
“If he wants to talk more, that is his problem. I am involved in the game and I do not enter into individual things or things from the past. We know that he speaks well.”
Image via Super Deporte
He show his class.