Koeman pleased with Barca’s “best game of the season”

FC Barcelona manager, Ronald Koeman has described the club’s 2-0 Champions League victory away at Juventus as their “best game of the season”.
Barca reacted to their Clasico defeat in to Real Madrid at the weekend in perfect fashion, with Ousmane Dembele and a stoppage-time Lionel Messi penalty making it back-to-back Group G wins.
Juve did not register a shot on target against the Catalan giants as they sorely missed their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo who missed the game after contracting the coronavirus.
Koeman was suitably impressed with his side’s display in Turin but felt they should have wrapped up the game earlier than they ultimately did.
“This was our best game all season,” he said.
“This is a big win against an important European side and we were able to play the football we’re trying to impose.
“I wanted us to play with three at the back, pushing one man forward to have extra in the middle of the pitch. That meant we created a lot of goal chances and, frankly, I think we should have finished the match off much earlier.
“I’m very content with the football we played, with the result and especially with the character my team showed.”
Barca were dominant throughout, making 227 .more passes than Juve and enjoying 59 per cent of possession.
Sergi Roberto, who completed 94.5 per cent of his attempted passes, says the performance lays down a standard they should be striving to meet consistently.
“We want to be a Barcelona side which dominates games, which owns the ball, which defends well and we’re getting there,” he said.
“We have a new coach and this will improve continually.
“To have six points from two games is important. It’s only a two-goal win but it could have been much more.
“Some chances didn’t want to go in but we’re generally content. The vital thing is to be continuously creating these chances.”