Embattled Barca shows there's life after Leo

Mixed feelings among fans, but players start post-Messi era on bright note

BARCELONA－Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman admitted Sunday he would "prefer to still have Lionel Messi" in his team.

Koeman saw his Messi-less side start its Liga campaign with a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad, 10 days after the Argentina star revealed he was ending his 20-year career at the club.

"Hey, if I had to choose, I would still prefer to have Leo Messi in my team," said Koeman.

"We no longer have a player who can decide the fate of matches on his own－now it will be a collective effort."

Messi, 34, has moved to Paris Saint-Germain, one of the few clubs who can afford to pay him.

Koeman praised the patience and support of the 20,000 inside Camp Nou as crowds were allowed to return for the first time since the start of the pandemic 18 months ago.

"From the start, our supporters pushed us, they were behind the team. It makes a huge difference," said Koeman.

"If you compare a game like this with a game from last year, it's totally different. As I said before, the image of the team is the most important thing."

The post-Messi era began for Barcelona with fans chanting his name in the stands and players overcoming his absence on the field.

The majority of fans loudly chanted Messi's name in the 10th minute, a reference to the No 10 jersey he used to wear at the club. Many fans were wearing or carrying Messi's jersey, and several banners honored the playmaker.

"Forever grateful to Messi," read one of them.

There were also some jeers against Messi, though, who has moved to PSG, where he was introduced to fans at the club's Ligue 1 win at home to Strasbourg on Saturday, after Barcelona failed to give him a new contract because of its financial struggles. Some fans preferred to chant "Barca, Barca "instead of his name.

"We all know what Messi represented. He was the most important player in this club's history," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. "But there's an end to everything and we have to move on. There is a lot of quality in this team. We will be very competitive and I'm convinced that we will be contending for all the titles until the end."

Club president Joan Laporta was among those targeted by some fans who protested in and outside Camp Nou, with banners accusing him of not doing enough to keep Messi. Some also complained about former president Josep Bartomeu, blaming him for the club's financial difficulties that led to Messi's departure.

On the field, Barcelona opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a header by Pique, who also was loudly cheered by fans after agreeing to reduce his salary so the club could register other players in time for the opener.

Martin Braithwaite added to the lead with goals in first-half stoppage time and in the 59th. He also assisted in Sergi Roberto's final goal in second-half injury time. Memphis Depay, the club's top offseason signing, helped set up two goals.

Sociedad, coming off a fifth-place finish last season, pulled closer with a goal from Julen Lobete in the 82nd and with a superb freekick－which Messi would have been proud of－struck by Mikel Oyarzabal three minutes later.

The last time there were fans at Camp Nou was on March 7, also in a match against Sociedad. Spanish health authorities allowed the league to restart with crowds of up to 40 percent of venue capacity.

Fans at Camp Nou had mixed feelings about the new era.

"On one side I feel very bad because Messi is gone. I had a very hard time with all this," 23-year-old student Marta Gonzalez said. "But on the other side I am very happy to see a new Barca and to be here."

Banners expressed their "eternal gratitude".

"The supporters are with us, they want to see football," said Pique.

"We knew they were going to react that way. We all know what Leo represents, but everything changes and we have to keep going.

"We will not have his talent, but we have proven that we can all play together."

La Liga champion Atletico Madrid got its season underway with a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo.

Angel Correa gave Atletico the lead after 23 minutes after being set up by Thomas Lemar.

Correa added a second goal in the 64th minute just five minutes after Iago Aspas had pulled Celta level from the penalty spot.

However, the game was marred by a mass brawl in the closing stages following a foul on Atletico's Luis Suarez. Red cards were brandished for Hugo Mallo of Celta and Mario Hermoso of Atletico.

Agencies