Barcelona faced Eibar this evening in the ultimate La Liga dead rubber, winning 1-0. They had put themselves within a whisker of the title following their sensational run of form post-Christmas, when Lionel Messi hit a lick following an extended break back home in Argentina. But they’ve failed when it mattered.
Barcelona dropped points in crucial games in the final stretch against the likes of Granada, Atletico Madrid, Levante and Celta Vigo, blowing any advantage and ceding the final-day battle to just Atletico and Real Madrid; the former triumphed, beating Real Valladolid to win the second title of the Cholo Simeone era.
Koeman is under serious pressure. He’d always seemed like a temporary measure, ever since he was appointed last summer. But good form, coupled with victory in the Copa del Rey, made it look like he was going to continue, only for Barcelona’s pivotally poor run of form to seemingly scupper that idea. They won what could prove to be his final game, however, through an 82nd minute Antoine Griezmann golazo.
