For the first time since his dismissal in January 2020, Ernesto Valverde returns to the Camp Nou this Sunday on the Athletic bench, a new test after beating Villarreal. Xavi Hernández did not coincide with Txingurri at Can Barça but the current coach was full of praise for a coach who won two Leagues, a Cup and a Super Cup in two and a half seasons at the Blaugrana club. “He seems like a piece of coach to me,” he assured.
“We value coach Valverde a lot from within. He did an excellent job at Barça, for me this is it”, he highlighted. The numbers of the Viandar de la Vera coach were excellent, with only 13 defeats (9%) in 141 games. "Also without any stridency, polite, with an impeccable image," he defined. “I have high regard for Valverde”, he reiterated.
Txingurri's hand has been noticeable since the beginning of the season at Athletic. “He will be a very difficult opponent, intense and aggressive in high pressure. Valverde is more offensive than Marcelino and they work very well tactically”, he warned. The desire to be protagonists of the Basques is seen because he plays with Sancet and Muniain, two former strikers, as interiors.
That intensity that Xavi foresees in the rival will cause him to make changes to the starting eleven. The call is the same with which the Blaugrana beat Villarreal 3-0 but the line-up will not be the same. “We will make changes because I understand that there is fatigue and discomfort. I would like to give continuity to many but we have to preserve them, especially in such an intense match”, he reasoned.
Against Villarreal, Frenkie de Jong acted as a pivot and scored high. But Xavi half insinuated the return of Busquets. “It changes more depending on how the rival plays than if De Jong or Busquets do it. The other day the free man was Frenkie and we found him a lot. He made a game. But at other times he is marked. The pivot has to understand what to do defensive work, organize the ball out and he has to mark the high pressure. In all of this, Busquets is a master”, he praised.
The win against Villarreal was therapeutic after the defeat at the Bernabeu and the draw against Inter, although Xavi did not let his guard down. “Here there is always tension. It's Barça and you have to win. Expectations this season are high.”
Another of the conclusions of the 3-0 was that Lewandowski scored a brace again playing alongside Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres, two more combinative players. But Xavi rules out that the Pole is not comfortable when he plays with two pure wingers like Dembélé and Raphinha. “He understands well with everyone, with whom he plays. He has nothing to do with it. Robert even creates the chances for himself. In Mallorca for example, where he scored a great goal”, he recalled, before defending Dembélé's risky game. “I force Dembélé to open the field and try it, but starting three quarters and not in our field. He is unique in the squad and he has to dribble, get to the line and cross”, he pointed out.
