Barcelona Star Vows To Prove To Koeman One Thing, Reveals How Griezmann Stole His Role

Despite the widespread Barcelona exit rumors, Miralem Pjanic remains optimistic about staying at Camp Nou.

Pjanic’s future with Barcelona is becoming more and more uncertain. In the past few days, reports said Liverpool’s Gini Wijnaldum will finally complete his move to Barca once Pjanic leaves the club, prompting the latter to speak out about the situation.

According to Pjanic, who had just joined Barcelona from Juventus in the past offseason, he has long envisioned himself becoming a part of the famed club’s journey in making “history.” Hence, the 30-year-old is positive he can prove to Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman that he deserves a spot in his squad.

"I did not sign for Barca to leave the following year," Pjanic recently told Mundo Deportivo. "I signed to make history in a club that had been on my path for many years."

"If I don't play, the next morning I am training harder than ever so that the coaches will notice that I am not giving up," he added. “[Ronald] Koeman doesn't talk much to players so what I have to do is keep working to be ready when he needs me."

In 2019, Barcelona made Antoine Griezmann one of its most expensive signings of all-time.

Based on Pjanic’s recollection, former Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal personally told him about the club’s plan to sign him. However, things did not go as planned and Barca decided to go for Griezmann instead.

"I decided to start my career in France but I always followed what Barca did," the former Juventus star revealed. "Two years ago, [Eric] Abidal wanted to sign me, we were talking but the club invested in Antoine [Griezmann] and there was no money left for me.”

"I had to wait live the dream of being a Barca player,” he continued. “I came to Barca because of my game and my experience as a winner, that's what they asked me to contribute when I signed. They told me that my character and my experience would be vital to grow a generation of young people from La Masia who were climbing very strongly."

In his first season with his dream club, Pjanic has only played 17 matches with six as a starter. Last month, the Bosnian lashed out on Koeman’s decision to limit his playing time, and things have reportedly worsened since then.

Apparently, Koeman felt disappointed in Pjanic, and the Barca boss “reprimanded" him for speaking inside and not outside, Spanish journalist and Onze Sport’s Javi Miguel reported.

Nothing is concrete yet regarding Pjanic’s transfer, but with the emergence of Ilaix Moriba and Pedri, the midfielder has fallen out of Koeman’s pecking order in recent games.