Ernesto Valverde has said Barcelona are under as much pressure as Real Madrid going into Saturday’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu despite having more opportunity to relax.
“No, we’re both under pressure for this game,” the coach said in a news conference on Friday. “By pressure, I mean because of what the game means. I don’t think it’s a decisive factor the fact that [Madrid] are further behind and have to win.
“There are enough other factors surrounding this game for there to be as much pressure for both sides.”
Asked if a victory could prove decisive in the title race, he added: “We haven’t won [the game] yet and Atletico [Madrid] are just six points back.
“If we don’t win, and [Madrid] do, the difference would be three points [with Atletico]. We need to take things game by game, treat it like any other game and go for the three points — nothing is in stone until the season is over.”
“Looking back at those Super Cup games, we lost it in the first half,” he said. “Madrid got straight into the game and we couldn’t cope with the speed with which they went into the game and their pressing.
“We made mistakes — to their credit because they forced errors. So we need a good start and then we have to impose our rhythm on the game. We need to go out to try and win the game from the off.”
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