SUAREZ OUT BUT MESSI THREAT REMAINS
ERNESTO VALVERDE hinted at resting key players against tottenham, including luis suarez. But lionel Messi is set to play.
Valverde showed little sympathy for tottenham’s rivals for a place in the last 16 saying: ‘Inter don’t need to worry about us, our intention is to win but if they had beaten tottenham now they would not be in this situation.’ the changes are unlikely to extend to Messi but it is a major boost for tottenham managers Mauricio Pochettino that the argentine’s strike partner will be rested.
‘ there will be one or two changes,’ said the Barcelona coach. ‘For a player who has been carrying an injury such as luis suarez, it does not enter into my plans to make him play two consecutive matches. When you see the line-ups you will see if Messi plays but the important thing is that whoever plays they are very motivated because they will be facing a team who are playing for their Champions league future.’
Valverde said thomas Vermaelen had a chance of playing, hinting that Gerard Pique would also be rested. But Barcelona are under no illusions about the quality of striker that spurs bring to town.
‘Harry Kane is a world- class player,’ said Valverde. ‘He is one of those players who makes the difference. He links the play well, he has a great shot and he is very good in the area.’
the question had been angled towards Kane being a good player ‘ for Barcelona’ and Valverde, sensing his enthusiasm could be misinterpreted, added: ‘I don’t like talking about players on another team. But that doesn’t change the fact that I have respect and admiration for him.’
asked about reserve goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen he said: ‘It’s a possibility that he plays.’ If the dutch international does come in for first choice Marc-andre ter stegen, and Valverde brings in other under-used players, Barcelona could take to the pitch without half of their first choice XI.
one of the biggest decisions for the coach will be what to do with ousmane dembele. He scored in the derby against Espanyol on saturday but turned up two hours late for training the following day.
In the past dembele’s indiscipline has resulted in him being left out. that evidently has not worked and he may yet find himself in the starting line-up despite his latest misdemeanour.
‘You win the derby on the saturday and you then expect a quiet sunday,’ Valverde joked of the player’s unscheduled sleep-in.
‘We will try to resolve the situation in the best way posible. He is a player that gives us so much on the pitch but here we have certain internal rules of behaviour that are the same for everyone.’
Pochettino has history with Valverde. He was an Espanyol player in 2006 when the now-Barcelona coach took over. Valverde saw the then-34-year- old defender as a hugely influential figure in the dressing room he had inherited and one who might make his job more difficult so he moved him on.
It was a decision that Pochettino did not understand but would later credit for kick- starting his career as a coach. He had his coaching badges by 2008 and was Espanyol manager by 2009.
Pochettino also has happy memories as an away coach at the nou Camp. not long after taking over, he faced Pep Guardiola’s invincible Barcelona side in the league. no one gave the rookie coach a chance but he led Espanyol to a 2-1 victory — their first in the stadium for 27 years. this Barcelona side do not intimidate as that one did — but Messi remains.