Valencia manager wary of Barcelona ahead of La Liga showdown – ‘It’s a complete team’ | OneFootball

After a disappointing draw with Getafe, Barcelona will be aiming to regain their winning momentum in La Liga as they take on Valencia on Sunday.

It will be a must-win game for the Catalans, who have lost significant ground in the race for the league title and cannot afford another mishap.

However, things could get difficult against a Valencia side rejuvenated following the arrival of Carlos Corberan as the new manager.

Carlos Corberan ahead of Barça game

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Corberan discussed Barcelona’s form while also analysing the Catalan outfit.

The Valencia manager hailed Barcelona’s momentum going into this game, citing triumph in the Spanish Super Cup and an impressive win over SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.

“They come from winning the Super Cup with a lot of superiority in the final and coming back in the Champions League against Benfica,” said the Valencian coach (h/t Diario SPORT).

“When you face a squad like Barcelona’s, singling out individuals is a mistake, it’s a complete team that requires concentration, commitment, intensity, and defensive solidarity,” he added.

Is Carlos Corberan ready for the Barcelona challenge? (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Corberan went on to offer a detailed analysis of Barcelona play football under the leadership of Hansi Flick.

“It is an aggressive team, that presses. It’s a team that significantly reduces space and has added a verticality to their possession that makes them a team with a punch. Our goal is always to be our best version,” he said.

Corberan even admitted that he has been closely following Barcelona’s game under Flick and was enthused with the way the German has transformed the team.

“With Flick, Barcelona caught my attention due to the behaviour of the defensive line; they did it in a striking way, they’re not the only team that reduces space and is aggressive, but it’s true that they did it in a way that required analysis.

“Those behaviours pretty much define Barcelona’s style of play,” he added.

Talking about Valencia’s chances of securing points against the mighty Barcelona, Corberan admitted his team must be at their level best.

“It’s up to us to be a great team. I am confident that we will be a great team, with intensity, concentration, and solidarity. We always go to any field with the aim of getting the maximum number of points,” he said.

Corberan took over the reins at Valencia in December 25, meaning it has been almost a month since he has been in charge of the club.

During this period, Valencia have played five matches, securing three wins and losing only once.

“The team needs to keep working on improving; What I did see in the last match was a very marked personality, tremendous commitment and dedication, and these are values we need in every match from the first minute to the end,” he concluded.