Ronald Koeman pleased with Barcelona 'attitude' as goalless draw with Cadiz adds pressure

Catalans sit seventh in La Liga, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid after five games

Barcelona forward Memphis Depay on the ball under pressure from Cadiz's Tomas Alarcon the match at Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla on September 23. Getty Images

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique reacts during the match against Cadiz. Getty Images

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is shown a red card by the referee Carlos del Cerro. Getty Images

Frenkie de Jong walks off the pitch after being shown a red card. Getty Images

Pablo Martin Paez Gaviria of Barcelona runs with the ball. Getty Images

Memphis Depay is helped by Barcelona teammate Ricard Puig after falling to the pitch. Getty Images

Barcelona's Sergiño Dest competes for the ball with Salvi Sanchez of Cadiz. Getty Images

Cadiz defender Varazdat Haroyan vies with Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho. AFP

Cadiz defender Varazdat Haroyan kicks the ball next to Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho. AFP

Cadiz defender Carlos Akapo kicks the ball next to Memphis Depay. AFP

Cadiz's Alberto Perea, right, and his teammate Anthony Lozano, left, walk off the pitch with Barcelona's Gavi Paez. AP

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman reacts after he is shown a red card by referee Carlos del Cerro Grande. Reuters

Ronald Koeman said he was pleased with his team's "attitude" in the goalless draw against Cadiz on Thursday night as the pressure continues to mount on the Barcelona manager following a slow start to the season.

The stalemate leaves Barca seventh in La Liga and while they are unbeaten, the Catalans have only won two of their opening five matches and trail leaders Real Madrid by seven points. It was also a second straight draw against supposedly inferior opposition after Barcelona needed a 90th-minute equaliser from defender Ronald Araujo to salvage a point against Granada in their previous outing.

It leaves Koeman in an increasingly precarious position. Barcelona President Joan Laporta had backed Koeman as manager before the match but also said he had to start producing better football and that the board would not shirk tough decisions if they needed to be made.

While disappointed that Barca had failed to pick up all three points for a second successive match, Koeman said it was more important to look at how the team had played overall.

"It's not always down to a result. We have to analyse what the team did, the attitude of the team, the commitment of the team and I can't complain about any of that from this game," the Dutchman told reporters.

"I'm not happy, of course, because we had four or five clear chances and we didn't score any goals," he said, adding that the sending off of Frenkie de Jong made it even more difficult.

"What I take away is the attitude, not my own personal situation. Because if we win it looks like we carry on, and if not we look for another coach – and that's a question for you."

Koeman said the absence of a number of first team players had contributed to their lacklustre display. Barca were missing Jordi Alba, Sergio Aguero and Pedri among others.

"I have said several times you always have to try and win every game," Koeman added. "But you have to be realistic, look at the squad we have and the players missing ... we've got seven starters out."