When it comes to La Liga, FC Barcelona have to make sure they make every single match count. Given that their direct rivals include the likes of both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, even singular points matter. That is why, heading into this second matchday, Barcelona will need to be at their best to build on their victory over Valencia.
As the Catalan giants take on Basque side Athletic Club in their next encounter, all eyes will be on this game to see Hansi Flick’s side take on their first challenge at their home ground this season. While it still will not be the iconic Camp Nou, Barça will be welcomed by their own fans at the Montjuic Stadium.
Yet, despite this being Barça’s temporary home ground, Athletic Club coach and former Blaugrana manager Ernesto Valverde does not seem impressed or intimidated. In fact, as SPORT has highlighted, he has only gone on to undermine the kind of atmosphere that can be created there:
“I’ve played many games at Montjuïc, and I assure you it’s not the hottest atmosphere in the world. There will be many tourists, the fans will cheer for their team, but there is a lot of distance from the pitch. I don’t expect anything special.”
However, the former Barcelona coach did not just talk about the Montjuic Stadium and its atmosphere. He also commented on Hansi Flick’s new-look Barça squad and the kind of tactics that they seem to be trying to implement on the field:
“So far, we haven’t seen too much. Although I understand that the coach wants to implement his ideas, we haven’t noticed many changes yet. There are young players in the midfield, and I believe that over time we’ll see more clarity. They maintain the high pressing.”
Having previously coached Espanyol, Valverde has a long history with the Montjuic Stadium. While his time with Barcelona was mainly based in the Camp Nou, it is not misdirection to admit that he possibly knows what he is talking about when he refers to the temporary home of his former team.
However, if Barcelona are to overcome his resilient Athletic Club side, the support of the fans will be needed. In fact, given the kind of words that Valverde has recently shared, it should only give more motivation to fans of La Blaugrana to ensure that the atmosphere exceeds his undermining expectations.
