Roberto Soldado and Ronald Koeman will come face to face again on Thursday night for the first time since their coming together in February’s Copa del Rey tie between Granada and Barcelona respectively.
The Catalans were pushed all the way by Granada in an eventual 5-3 quarter-final win, with Koeman‘s celebrations at the end angering Soldado, who fumed from the stands.
“He’s a moron, he’s a moron,” Soldado shouted at the time.
“You’re a clown, you lack humility.
“This is how you win; you don’t have any respect.”
Roberto Soldado to Ronald Koeman after celebrating a goal: “You’re a clown, you lack humility.”
It had been a game of high tension at Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes, with emotions perhaps understandably running over.
Granada had led 2-0 right up until the 88th minute, before Antoine Griezmann and Jordi Alba struck late to take the game into extra time.
In the additional period, Griezmann made it 3-2 before Fede Vico equalised in the 103rd minute.
Finally, Barcelona – who had 36 shots and 79 percent possession during the encounter – strode clear with goals from Alba and Frenkie de Jong.
The run-in wasn’t confined to just Soldado and Koeman, though, with both benches getting involved and Granada boss Diego Martinez telling Koeman to “have more respect”.
The hosts’ kitman Jesus Perez was also sent off, as was Barcelona assistant coach Alfred Schreuder.
Thursday’s meeting promises to be another tight tussle.
For Barcelona, it’s for different reasons though as they bid to go top of LaLiga Santander.
Whether the wounds between the two sides have healed remains to be seen.
