Valverde turns the air Blue
BARCELONA boss Ernesto Valverde fears Chelsea can cause major “damage” in their Champions League showdown tonight.
But he claimed his players are out for revenge after losing to the Blues in the 2012 semi-final.
“We know Chelsea have a lot of power, like PSG and Juve, and can cause us a lot of damage if we don’t play well,” Valverde said.
“But my players will have learned their lessons from last time and will look to rectify things.
“Previous meetings do count. The key players change from time to time but Messi and Iniesta are still there. There’s a bit of a rivalry between the teams, taking into account previous matches. That makes it more of a spectacle, more exciting.”
Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic believes Lionel Messi is in the best shape of his career after spending hours in the gym.
Rakitic said: “Leo works very hard. He’s been in the gym a lot in recent years, looking after himself.
“I know Chelsea’s players. We know they’re very strong, and it won’t be an easy game. They’ll make life difficult for us on the pitch so we’ll have to do everything we can.”