Valverde: Winning the Copa del Rey can help with Champions League pain

Ernesto Valverde really isn’t helping himself at the moment after he told a pre-match press conference that winning the Copa del Rey would help ease the pain of their Champions League elimination.

The dismal defeat to Roma is still very much fresh in the memory even though Barca are now just three points away from the league title and potentially set to do the double.

However, Valverde reckons beating Sevilla at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday would be a good way of forgetting all about that miserable night in Italy.

“To win the Copa del Rey would be a good way to put the Champions League slip-up behind us,” he said.

”To win with Barcelona is an obligation, the Champions League, La Liga, the cup and this is always the way with big teams.

”The pressure is the same with other finals, you have not won the title as you still have to play the final and there are two teams involved. We maybe the favourites but you still have to play.

”In the Champions League we were favourites and we didn’t go through, I never thought when I was with Athletic that to beat Barcelona was a miracle but an oppportunity and that is what the situation is tomorrow.”

Source | Marca

Valverde’s first season in charge of Barcelona looks set to end in silverware and a double would be a great achievement.

The club may even manage an unbeaten La Liga season but there’s no denying the season will still be tainted by their failure in the Champions League.

Source: barcablaugranes.com