Coach respected Iniesta decision

VALVERDE: I SAW NO POINT IN TRYING TO DISSUADE HIM

Barcelona

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has admitted he did not try to change Andres Iniesta’s mind when the midfielder told him he was leaving around a month ago.

Last night’s Clasico between Barca and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou was Iniesta’s last after he announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Iniesta, who is expected to complete a move to China, has been key in recent months but Valverde said there was no point trying to persuade the 33-yearold.

“He told me over a month ago,” Valverde said. “I was not going to say anything, we exchanged opinions.

“When the person who tells you is someone who has his kind of experience, you don’t try to convince him or make him think more about it.

“La Liga, for coaches, is the one that tells you how a team has been for the whole year. In the end, the best one wins,” Valverde said.

“In the Champions League, more factors come into play – good luck, bad luck, sometimes in the Champions League there are more candidates able to win.

“I’ll take everything. When you analyse it, you always think about what you have lost.”

Valverde also tried to downplay comments made by Luis Suarez, in which the striker appeared to refer to Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann as if he was already a Barcelona player.

“He’s welcome,” Suarez told Radio Uruguay. “He’s not coming to take anyone’s place, but with the ambition to do big things with the best club in the world. I’m proud Barca keep signing players of such quality.”

Valverde said: “I have no doubt he is speaking figuratively because we are all respectful of an opponent’s players. Nobody takes for granted something we do not know will happen.” –