Koeman dismisses talk of double despite Barça’s recent improvement

Barcelona, Mar 20 (efe-epa).- Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman on Saturday said he does not like “talking about the double” despite cutting Atletico Madrid’s lead to four points and reaching the Copa del Rey final.

 “This changes very fast; a while ago it seemed that there was nothing good. We have to work match by match. We are still four points adrift and we have very difficult schedule. There is a long way to go to win things,” Koeman said during a presser on the eve of their La Liga game against Real Sociedad.

Barcelona have recovered from a slow start to the La Liga season to hold the second spot with 59 points, four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid. Barcelona will play fifth placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.

The Catalan club was knocked out of the Champions League last-16 at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, having endured a 4-1 home defeat in the first leg of last-16. They were held to a 1-1 draw in the second leg.

The Dutch coach praised Real Sociedad as “one of the best teams of this championship, they want to build up from the back and put the opponent under pressure”.

He said it was “very important for the club to have a president like (Joan) Laporta and a future”. He stressed the importance of “having the tranquility of counting on somebody who is the face of the club inside and outside”.

Laporta was elected earlier this month as Barcelona president, succeeding Josep Maria Bartomeu who resigned in October under increasing pressure from players and fans after he had publicly fallen out with Lionel Messi.

Bartomeu and his right hand, Jaume Masferrer, were arrested on 2 March a day on charges of business malpractice and corruption during their administration. EFE-EPA

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