Former Barca striker aims dig at club over Koeman's sacking

Topics: La Liga, Barcelona, Memphis Depay, Ronald Koeman, Xavi Hernández

The Dutch striker will work with the former Blaugrana boss one more time with their national team, where he revealed details of his stay at Camp Nou.

It is no secret that the relationship between Ronald Koeman and Barcelona did not end on the best terms, and judging by the words of a former Blaugrana player, some of the footballers did not like the way their former boss was treated.

Such is the case of Memphis Depay, who stepped up to defend his former boss with Els Culers -and current coach with the Netherlands- for the way he was sacked by Joan Laporta to give way for Xavi Hernández's appointment.

"The way in which they treated Ronald at Barcelona was not right. I truly don't respect that. Koeman is a classy coach and a fantastic coach, he certainly did not deserve that treatment," Depay said, referring to Koeman's exit from the club after a short string of bad results.

The striker, currently playing for Atlético Madrid, praised his current team for the way they prepare for games, and how that has had a positive effect on his game, contrary to what he experienced with Barcelona, where he revealed he did not have proper training sessions to make his game thrive.

"I need certain type of training to be in top shape. That did not happen all the time when I played for Barcelona, but it does now that I'm with Atlético. The way we train is the right way for me. You can imagine how Simeone wants things done. He wants you to leave it all out there, with lots of passion, and that only makes me feel stronger," Memphis added.

Before the interview concluded, Depay referred to his style of play under Koeman, and what it could mean for the Netherlands ahead of their upcoming games.

"He gave me a lot of confidence and we have a great relationship. I also remember with pleasure the way we played during his past stint here. This is a new era and I hope we can bring back that feeling to the national team," the striker concluded.

The Dutch side will begin their quest to secure a spot in the 2024 UEFA Euro this Friday when they face France. Keep an eye on that match with our TV and streaming listings by following the link below.