Speaking to media after FC Barcelona’s 3-0 win over defending champions Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Saturday, FC Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde said that his team figured out how to beat the Real Madrid’s pressure and took control of the match later on.
“We figured out how to beat Real Madrid’s pressure in our end. The game was wide open, and neither team clearly dominated play. And we persevered until later on when we took control of the match…to win El Clásico,” said Valverde, according to the FC Barcelona website.
Luis Suarez (54th), Lionel Messi (64th, penalty) and Aleix Vidal (90+3) scored for the Catalan powerhouse, which now lead the capital giants by 14 points. Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to nine points.
Talking about goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, Valverde said, “He’s fundamental for us. He’s the first one with the ball as we move out of our end and his clarity and tranquility help us a lot. Sometimes we get nervous, but he’s very relaxed back there.”
Expressing his views on the La Liga title, the Barcelona manager said , “The first half of the season isn’t even over yet. We’re ahead of our rivals, but we’re not focused on that. We want to win our games and avoid losing any.”
In all praise for defender Thomas Vermaelen, Valverde said, “He trains very hard, he’s good with the ball, he battles for loose balls, he’s a tough central defender, he’s strong, fast, and nobody has any doubts about him. He’s an example of what it means to be a great player.”
Talking about midfielder Paulinho, the Barcelona manager said that he’s great at getting into the final third. “He’s very involved in our play, and he’s surprising on attack. He works very hard and although he doesn’t play positionally because of where he’s played before coming here, he gives us a lot out on the field,’” said Valverde.