Barca win thriller to book place in Champions League quarterfinals
FC Barcelona won a thrilling Champions League tie 3-1 at home to Napoli to assure their place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Following a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Valencia in a La Liga tie on Monday, FC Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde reacted in a positive way, claiming his boys dominated the first half at Mestalla.
“We dominated the first half and wanted the win. We like to feel like we are in control of the game and that was true in the first half,” Valverde said as quoted by the club’s official website.
After a goalless first-half, Rodrigo struck in the 60th minute to help Valencia take a 1-0 lead. Jordi Alba scored an equalizer for Barcelona in the 82nd minute, though the final scoreline read 1-1 in a draw.
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“They improved and they scored against us in the second half but we kept looking for the goal and we could have won it in the end,” the 53-year-old Spanish coach added.
Valverde also expressed his team’s reaction to a Messi ghost goal that, according to replays, crossed the line.
“I am happy that, despite the controversy, we didn’t lose our concentration and we were able to respond to going 1-0 down,” he said.
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