Barcelona manager's treatment of exiled midfielder: disrespectful or not?

Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic caused a stir last week following his last-minute departure to Besiktas on loan from FC Barcelona. He gave some controversial statements about his exit, accusing manager Ronald Koeman of disrespecting him and refusing to communicate during the time that they worked together at the Camp Nou.

The player also called his relationship with Koeman "strange" due to the way he felt shut out by the manager even as he was trying to find a solution to his situation. He said that the Dutchman never told him what the problem was, but kept him on the bench for longer periods as the season progressed.

Now, after failing to ship him back to Juventus, Barcelona have sent Pjanic out on loan to Turkish club Besiktas.

Regardless of what Pjanic believes, Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo claims to have discovered the real reason why Koeman did not utilise the player. Apparently, there was no question about the Bosnian's quality, but the problem lies in his characteristics as a player.

After having spent a successful spell in Italy, Pjanic plays a much slower defensive style of football. This does not suit the style of play that Koeman is pushing in his squad. Koeman expects his midfielders to be able to pressure opponents high up on the field, similar to the way Barcelona veteran Sergio Busquets moves around the pitch. Because of this, Koeman relied more on someone like Frenkie de Jong. who could help bring a more fast-paced playing style.

Moving forward, it has also been revealed that Barcelona have asked Koeman to preserve the style of play that Barcelona has been known for, which involves a precise, aggressive attack. With this in mind, Pjanic will need to unlearn some of the lessons he learned in Italy.

Nevertheless, the player might have been able to adjust if the issue was openly communicated to him, but according to his recent interview, no such discussion took place. He said that he had asked the coach about what he needed to do, but he was always told that everything was fine in his performance.

Now, he will spend a year in Turkey, and it remains to be seen if he will find his way back to the Camp Nou next season, and if Koeman will be the coach waiting for him.