Valverde talks Xavi’s tactics, Dembele, Balde after the 4-0 defeat against Barca

Ex-Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde spoke about Xavi’s tactical plan, surprising starting line-up, Dembele’s performance, and being outplayed by Xavi in his post-match press conference.

Ernesto Valverde’s post-match press conference after the 4-0 defeat against Barca

Valverde on Xavi’s tactical plan:

“Xavi’s tactical plan was great. His approach with 4 midfielders and Pedri on the left caught me off guard. It bothered us. They made us suffer from the right, from the left, from everywhere. They gave us a lesson.”

Valverde on Barca’s tarting XI:

“Barça’s starting XI surprised me. They were superior than us. After the second goal, they killed us. We suffered, and it was a difficult game for us.”

Valverde on Dembele’s performance:

“Dembélé had a great match. This is Ousmane Dembélé. He has forgotten about injuries and he became an important player. He is world-class.”

Valverde on Balde:

“I assumed that Balde was going to play because he’s rapid. He played well.”

Valverde on Fc Barcelona:

“Barcelona are a great team and they will always compete for titles. They will end up competing for La Liga with Real Madrid, that’s obvious.”

That concluded Ernesto Valverde’s post-match press conference.

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