Barcelona are in unexpected situation but we know we can be leaders, asserts Ronald Koeman

Barcelona are currently third on the league table, behind second-placed Real Madrid only on goal difference with two points separating them and Atletico Madrid. With an extra game in hand, the Blaugrana could go one point ahead of leaders Atletico Madrid, if they beat Granada on Thursday. Koeman’s side has won 15 out of 17 La Liga matches, with their only defeat coming against Real Madrid, to fire themselves back into the fray as potential title contenders.

Koeman has admitted his pleasant surprise as Barcelona gear up for another title challenge which seemed to be impossible at the starting of the season. At the starting of the season, the La Liga giants were 10 points behind Atletico down in sixth place but things have changed since. The help of an experienced manager in Koeman and in-form players like Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona have been able to turn their season around with them in contention for the title.

"It is important to win because we are in a moment where we know we can be leaders and it can be a reward, but first we have to win. It's one game at a time. If you look back, it's an unexpected situation. We had a big points difference and it's something big that we've achieved, the opportunity to fight to win La Liga. In the last 17 games, almost half of the season, we have 15 wins. That's impressive. And it had to be like this because otherwise, we wouldn't be fighting for the title," Koeman said, reported Goal.