Tag: Ernesto Valverde

Ernesto Valverde Runs out of Praises for Lionel Messi

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Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde claimed that he has run out of words when it comes to describing Lionel Messi’s brilliance. The Argentine superstar was influential for Barcelona in the recent 5-1 victory over Real Valladolid. Messi was able to score twice in the game – including a free kick that provided has 50th goal from such a scenario. There were also assists for Luis Suarez and Arturo Vidal. This victory helped Barcelona to return to the top of the standings. After a difficult start of the campaign, the Catalan outfit have picked up seven consecutive wins.


Messi’s form was questioned in the first few weeks of the season, as he faced issues about injuries. There were also uncertainties surrounding the arrival of Neymar. All these contributed to a difficult start for Barcelona we have been able to open a solitary point advantage over archrivals Real Madrid. The recent postponement of the El Clasico means that Barcelona will have to wait several weeks before they go up against Madrid. Until then, they will be happy to sit at the top standings with such big wins. The big victory also allowed Valverde to give a debut to a 16-year-old. Ansu Fati, who is highly regarded in European football, was given an opportunity to enjoy his second league start.
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Ernesto Valverde expects more from Barcelona team after Eibar draw

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Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has said that he expects more from the team after they could only muster a 2-2 draw against Eibar during the final matchday of the season. The Catalan giants field a strong lineup for the game despite wrapping up the title and they could not seal the three points despite Lionel Messi starring with another brace.

 

Speaking after the game, Valverde said that every game presents with a different challenge and Eibar had the impetus against them, given they had nothing to lose. He added that his team need to be much better for the Copa del Rey final against Valencia next weekend, considering they struggled against Eibar in the second period and could have paid the price.
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Ernesto Valverde says Philippe Coutinho has been unlucky

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Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde has indicated that Philippe Coutinho has been unlucky with the Catalan giants during the current campaign. The Brazil international has barely started a game for the Blaugrana since early December and this has recently raised the speculation regarding his future with the Spanish champions.

Speaking to reporters, Valverde admitted that Coutinho is going through a difficult phase with the Catalan giants and termed the situation as being ‘unlucky’. He added that both Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele remain vital figures to the team while not ruling out the possibility of the duo playing together more often.
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Ernesto Valverde Laments Draw with Valencia

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Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde was disappointed to see his team only get a 1-1 draw with Valencia during the weekend. The result has extended at the club’s winless run in the league to an incredible four matches. Lionel Messi was able to come up with a crucial equaliser that helped Barcelona pick up at least point. It took only two minutes for Valencia to score in the match but it was Messi who came up with the equaliser in the first half. Even though Barcelona were unable to find a winner in the game, they were able to look at Real Madrid also drop points during the weekend.

Valverde is coming under immense pressure on already and one of the few joys for Barcelona came in the Champions League where they have picked up back-to-back wins. The summer witnessed several changes in the Barcelona setup and they seem to have missed the magic that made them champions last season. The failure to win the recent matches has been characterised by a lack of creativity and Barcelona are now behind Sevilla going into the international break. Valverde lamented Valencia scoring from one of the few mistakes that Barcelona committed in the match and he is confident of the team recovering back to their best in the near future.
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Ernesto Valverde heaps praise on ‘genius’ Lionel Messi

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Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has branded Lionel Messi as a ‘genius’ after the Argentine starred during the club’s 3-0 win over Alaves in the season opener. Messi had a rather frustrating World Cup with Argentina over the summer but he managed to shed the disappointment with a brace to kick-start the league campaign.

Speaking after the game, Valverde was full of praise for the attacker, who scored Barcelona’s 6000th La Liga goal with a lovely free-kick which was intentionally placed underneath the opposition wall, he said: “Messi is a genius. We’re lucky to be able to see him every day. We’re lucky to be involved in football during the era in which he is playing — we want him to pull a rabbit from the hat every day. There’s still room for Messi to surprise us. He always surprises you — he never ceases to amaze me, honestly. You have to be ready to expect anything from Messi because he sees what no one else sees.”
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Steven Gerrard hails Sergio Busquets’ impact at Barcelona

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Liverpool legend-turned-pundit Steven Gerrard spoke about the influence Sergio Busquets has at the heart of the Barcelona midfield. The likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have earned praise for their goalscoring exploits over the years, but Gerrard believes Busquets is equally influential in the Catalan ranks.


Speaking on BT Sport, Gerrard admitted that it was frustrating to find himself playing against Busquets with the Spaniard capable of maintain a tireless workrate over the course of 90 minutes, he said: “Having played against him, in the end you stop pressing him because it’s just so frustrating.
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Valverde Ramps up Speculation about Barcelona Move for Griezmann

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Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has claimed that there was a possibility of his team trying to sign Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann in the coming transfer windows. The French superstar had been linked heavily with a move to Manchester United during the summer, but this did not materialise due to Atletico’s transfer ban. Since a departure for Griezmann in the summer would have left the club seriously short of options up front, they decided to persuade the Frenchman to stay at the club. However, Griezmann does not seem to be entirely happy at Atletico with the forward coming in with some poor performances.

Manchester United brought in Romelu Lukaku once they found out that they would not be able to bring in Griezmann in the summer. As a result, it is highly unlikely that the Red Devils will be in the market for the striker come the January transfer window or the summer. In this scenario, Barcelona are looking to take advantage of the situation by making an offer for the player. After having had a spectacular start to his life at Barcelona, manager Ernesto Valverde claims that Griezmann is a player who would fit in well at the Camp Nou. There have been previous transfers between Atletico and Barcelona with the recent high profile switch being Arda Turan.
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