Sports
Valverde impressed as Barca bounce back to set new La Liga record
Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde has praised his team for putting their Roma defeat behind them to set a new La Liga record after they extended their unbeaten league run to 39 matches with a 2-1 win over Valencia on Saturday.
The Spanish giants crashed out of the UEFA Champions League during the week as Serie A side, AS Roma, overturned a 4-1 deficit with a 3-0 victory at home to reach the semifinals of the competition.
But Barca returned to winning ways when they edged Valencia at Nou Camp, and the win meant they broke the previous unbeaten La Liga record which was Real Sociedad’s 38 games across 1978-79 and 1979-80.
Speaking after the victory, Valverde said, “We had to show our faces after such a tough defeat (3-0 against Roma). I have to congratulate the players for doing so, it wasn’t easy.
Read also: Moses not left out as Giroud inspires Chelsea’s comeback win at Southampton
“They also endured disappointment and their attitude was to go for the game. They had great responsibility on their shoulders.
“The fans were very good. We needed them. We know we failed in Rome, but we intend to look ahead. We have important things to achieve and we won’t lose face.
“We were already a team that come together during difficult times. Today we played against the third-placed team, and we won.”
Luis Suarez and Samuel Umtiti were the goalscorers for Barca, while Dani Parejo converted a penalty late on after Ousmane Dembele fouled Andreas Pereira.
Barca need seven more points to seal the Spanish title, but they face Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final next weekend as they seek a domestic double.
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