Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde insists he is not about to âhide under a stoneâ as his team look to recover from their shock Champions League elimination by Liverpool.
The Spanish giants slumped to a 4-0 defeat at Anfield in the second leg of their semi-final on Tuesday night as the English club overcame a 3-0 deficit to progress against the odds.
With their European campaign now in tatters, the focus has turned to Valverde and the future direction of his team.
Valverde, though, remains defiant as he prepares to pick the players up for Sundayâs penultimate LaLiga fixture against Getafe and then for the Copa del Rey final.
âI feel strong, Iâm good. I want to take the next step, I wonât hide under a stone,â Valverde said at a press conference.
âI feel like Iâm in âThe Great Escapeâ â they have just caught me and Iâm in the punishment cell, I want to play tomorrowâs match.
âAfter a blow like that, everything wobbles, we know what this show is like, if something like this happens you have to break and burn it all, but then you have to put it all back in its place.â
Valverde insists he has âcomplete supportâ of Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu as he aims to move the club forwards.
âWeâre hurting, I wonât deny it, we have a responsibility to ourselves and our fans,â Valverde said, as quoted by Marca.
âWe can lose a knockout tie, the problem is how we lost it â we werenât good in the second half. It has been painful, thereâs no other option but to look forwards and we have to take the next step.
âThe bad outweighs the good because itâs the most recent, the defeat wasnât 1-0, it was 4-0 and it matters at clubs like this, this group has the ability to excite people.â
Ivan Rakitic drew criticism for being pictured out at a local festival in Seville shortly after the Anfield defeat.
Ivan Rakitic
Valverde confirmed he had spoken with Rakitic over the issue. âHe explained that he went to see his wife and children, he went out to the street and someone took a photo with him,â the Barcelona boss said.
âYou have to go out to the street and accept the situation, (but) you canât doubt his professionalism.â
Valverde hopes the Nou Camp faithful will get behind the team.
âWe are all affected by the blow, but itâs the last game in our stadium and I consider it an opportunity to try to help the team and to lift them and not do what our enemies hope for, that we fight between ourselves,â he said.
âI know that it has been a hard blow for the fans, for the players, for us all â the best thing to do is face up to a rival to show your character and bounce back.â
Barcelona confirmed midfielder Arthur was to be assessed after missing training because of âdiscomfort in his pelvisâ.
Striker Luis Suarez, meanwhile, remains optimistic about his recovery from keyhole surgery on a medial meniscus injury in his right knee.
âIt will all be great, in a month Iâll be ready,â Suarez told Uruguayan media outlet El Pais de Montevideo. âItâs not the same injury as 2017, that was cartilage, and this is meniscus.â
Getafe hold a slender three-point cushion over Sevilla and Valencia in the battle for fourth spot.
Manager Pepe Bordalas believes no matter the outcome over the final two matches, this campaign has been one to remember for the Madrid club.
âWhatever happens, the team have played a commendable season. Months ago, no one thought we would be there,â Bordalas said.
Provided by Press Association Sport