Depay criticises Barcelona for their treatment of Ronald Koeman: “Didn’t deserve this” | OneFootball

Memphis Depay joined Barcelona in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer from Olympique Lyon. He played 28 games for the Catalans in his first season at the club, scoring 12 goals and providing and two assists for the team.

His good relationship with Ronald Koeman was one of the key factors that propelled his move to Spain. Halfway through the last season, however, the Dutch manager was fired and Xavi Hernandez arrived to take the team forward.

Depay no longer enjoyed the same importance under the new manager, ultimately resulting in a move to Atletico Madrid midway through the 2022-23 season.

The Atletico Madrid player spoke to AD earlier this week in a long conversation, during which he talked about Koeman and his stint at Barcelona and condemned the Catalans’ management for their treatment of the now Netherlands manager.

Depay showered praise on the former Barcelona manager and extended his sympathy for the manner in which he was treated.

“The way Ronald has been treated at Barcelona is not okay. I really don’t respect that. Koeman is a trainer with class and a fantastic person. He certainly didn’t deserve this,” Depay said.

The 29-year-old winger then highlighted differences between the Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in training. He pointed out that the reason behind his inability to succeed in Catalonia boiled down to the incompatible ‘way of working.’

“I need a certain kind of training to be in an optimal physical state. That didn’t always go well at Barcelona, but it does at Atlético. The way of working suits me perfectly,” he added.

Depay has scored three goals in his last six games for the Colchoneros and is currently on duty with the Dutch national team. He is expected to start when France takes on The Netherlands tonight.