Ernesto Valverde wants Barcelona to overcome the disadvantage of having played on Thursday to win at Real Sociedad in La Liga for the first time since 2007.
It makes an already difficult task even more difficult, with Barca having failed to win in each of their last seven visits to Anoeta in the league, losing five of them.
“Not playing in midweek is an advantage for La Real,” Valverde said in a news conference on Saturday. “It’s the same story with our game against [Real] Betis, who we play in the league next weekend after our midweek game [against Espanyol in the cup].
“We never like these situations where there are short rests and games coming thick and fast. We would like more time. But of course, you prefer to be in the Copa del Rey than out of it.”
They did manage to win there in the Copa del Rey last season, but it’s been more than a decade since they left with three points from a league game.
“That’s not something we’ve talked about too much but we know what’s gone on in past matches there,” Valverde added.
“Their coach [former Barca B boss Eusebio] knows us very well. Having been here before he knows how to hurt Barca and Anoeta is a tough, wet stadium to play at regardless.
“It is difficult for anyone to win there, not just us. But that’s the past. We want to write the future and [Sunday’s] match has not been played yet.”
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