Besiktas: Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic has blamed Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman for disrespecting him after the 31-year-old decided to join Turkish giants Besiktas on a season-long loan. Pjanic complained that Koeman hardly spoke to him during his time in the Catalan club.
“I always wanted to play for Barca but I didn’t expect the situation to get so complicated. There was a point that I was playing less, things were getting complicated. And when I played it was difficult physically and mentally to be well, because it was killing my confidence, because I had no communication with (Koeman),” Pjanic said.
“It was very strange, because a coach is the one who says who plays and who doesn’t, but there are different ways to do things. I am a player who can accept everything but I would always like to be told things face to face. Not as if nothing happened and I was 15 years old.”
Pjanic joined Barcelona last year from Juventus in a swap deal that included Arthur Melo shift his base to Turin. Since his signing, the Pjanic failed to find the rhythm and struggled to get game time in his new club. “The coach, yes,” said Pjanic on being asked whether he was disrespected at Barcelona.
“I couldn’t get used to the situation I faced last year. I knew I didn’t want it. I’m a player. I love playing football, this is what makes me happy,” he added further. Pjanic also stated that he has no regrets about his Barcelona move.
“No, never. In life things that have to happen, happen. It is like that. I have fought all my life and my career, I am very ambitious, very competitive, I have reached the level of Juventus and Barca. I know that I can play for this team, they just haven’t given me the chance to compete, to join a group, to help more,” he said.
