Koeman defends direct approach after Barca held by Granada

MADRID: Ronald Koeman defended his direct tactics after being accused of betraying Barcelona’s attacking traditions in a 1-1 draw at home to Granada on Monday.

Koeman brought Gerard Pique off the bench at Camp Nou to play up front alongside Luuk de Jong, with Ronald Araujo, another central defender, also thrown into the attack as Barca sent in 54 crosses in search of an equaliser.

Araujo finally headed home in injury-time after Domingos Duarte had given Granada an early lead but the whistles at the end from the Barcelona fans indicated a point was not nearly enough.

“We changed our style a little bit,” Koeman said. “The spaces were out wide, not in the middle. We went with Pique, De Jong and Araujo and from one of those…