Pjanic can't find his habitat

It doesn't take a hound to interpret that Koeman doesn't totally trust Miralem Pjanic. In a match without Sergio Busquets, the Bosnian was the first player substituted for Barça. When everything seemed to indicate that Mingueza, who suffered a lot against Muniain and Yuri, would be the change, the chosen one was the former Juventus player. It was not the only detail that gave Koeman away. Fundamentally, it was the system.

When everyone suspected that, in the face of Sergio Busquets' sanction, Pjanic would occupy his position in a simple player-by-player change, Koeman gave up the spectacular scoring moment of Frenkie de Jong and delayed his position 40 meters. “It has been a tactical change, yes,” admitted Koeman, who relied on Athletic's aerial game and the ball out to justify the move. Everything responded, however, to the lack of security of Pjanic, who is not even lucky with the goal. Against Cornellà, they took an unlikely ball. This Sunday, Unai Simón made a save after a header.

There's something about Pjanic that hasn't convinced Koeman since the beginning of the season. Be it your physical condition, your football conditions or your predisposition to games. From the beginning he has been clear that he would not be the undisputed starter at Barça. In fact, he has only played three starting matches in LaLiga (Wanda, Valladolid and the match against Athletic).

Koeman did not finish seeing him in the double pivot (Busquets became essential for him) and, with the new 4-3-3, it is clear that he considers it more internal, although the system with which Barça played against Athletic had something of a hybrid. The one who advanced his position the most was Pedri.

“The most important thing is to honor the jersey,” Pjanic said after the game on his official twitter account. He dressed him with a photo hugging Messi after 1-0. After asking for more minutes in the first part of the season, he seems to have accepted his role and to flee from controversy. The most important thing for Koeman, however, will be to hook the player because Barça is without troops. There are no relays of confidence and less in the center of the field.

Barça is very fair and Koeman cannot afford to lose a player of experience and hierarchy. The technician has to do his part to get it back. The player, in recovering the footprints of a footballer who has proven capable of having an important and good influence on the team's game.