Spanish press tear into Koeman

BARCELONA. — Ronald Koeman has been pushed ‘’against the ropes’’ after Barcelona were ‘’embarrassed’’ once again in the Champions League.

They were among the verdicts splashed across the front pages of Spain’s newspapers yesterday after Benfica rolled the Catalan side over to inflict their second straight 3-0 group-stage defeat this season on Wednesday night.

Marca’s front page focused on a “total disaster’’ for Barcelona in Lisbon that has placed Koeman’s future in charge “in more doubt than ever’’.

Mundo Deportivo, a predominantly Barcelona-centric paper, likened Koeman to a boxer “against the ropes’’ and with a nightmare four games to come he is under ‘’serious pressure’’ from president Joan Laporta.

In the eyes of Mundo Deportivo he is not alone, either, with Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, also ‘’under the microscope’’ after they were stunned by Moldovan minnows Sheriff Tiraspol.

Diario AS simply splashed the word “SUNK’’ across their cover on a night of further embarrassment for the 2014-15 Champions League winners.

Koeman admitted he could be dismissed as Barcelona coach in a frank post-match interview.

“I feel the players are behind me.’’ Asked if he felt the board backed him too, he said: “I don’t know.’’

Frenkie de Jong was asked if the answer to Barcelona’s woes was to sack Koeman.

He replied: ‘’No’’, but players’ loyalty might not be enough for the 58-year-old coach.

Barcelona failed to muster a shot on target during the 90 minutes and have lost their first two group games for the first time since the Champions League started.

“This is not the team of years gone by. It’s crystal clear,’’ added Koeman. — Mailonline.