Barcelona favourites to win Copa del Rey, claims Athletic Club boss Ernesto Valverde

Barcelona will lock horns with fellow La Liga side Athletic Club in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey tomorrow night away at San Mames.

The Blaugrana will not have it easy given that it is always tricky to play at San Mames, coupled with the fact that Athletic have been in very good form in recent matches.

Despite that, though, the Basque outfit’s manager Ernesto Valverde has claimed that Barcelona are the favourites for not only tomorrow’s match, but to win the Copa del Rey trophy.

Speaking at a press conference today, Valverde said: “I would love to be favourites, because that would mean that in the last ten years we have won five cups and that we would be ahead of them in La Liga, but the reality is that they have won the titles.”

“Barça are the current La Liga champions and that is for a reason. They haven’t lost an away game yet. Not only are they favourites in this tie, but they are also favourites to win the competition. They are a great team and that has to be taken into account.”

Despite all the criticism that Barcelona have copped in recent times, Valverde sees a dangerous opposition that can hurt his team tomorrow.

“Looking at the last game, which is the clearest reference, I see them doing well. They have taken points in the last few minutes, coming from behind and that has a double vision,” he remarked.

“On the one hand, that maybe they’re not doing so well, but on the other, that the opposition are finding the game very long, because Barça are a team that push a lot.”

Name-checking the likes of Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal, who starred against Real Betis, as major threats, the Athletic Club manager added:

“They are a team that pushes you back, because they have a lot of possession. And they also have people who break into space, with players who are in a good moment like Ferran and Lamine.”

“Even if you play very well and are very good, it’s possible that you can’t get through the tie, because Barça can decide the game at any moment,” he insisted.

Source: SPORT