Barcelona coach Valverde anticipates tough match at rock-bottom Leganes

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde believes Leganes’ lowly league position is misleading and anticipates a tough match at Estadio Municipal de Butarque on Wednesday.

Former Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino is now in charge of Leganes, who finished last season 17th in the LaLiga standings.

In stark contrast to leaders Barca, they are currently rock bottom of the table, with no wins from five and a solitary point from the draw with Real Sociedad on August 24.

But Valverde thinks they have been very unlucky, especially at home.

“It’s a paradox that I’ve only got one point at home,” Valverde said in his pre-match press conference, reported on AS.com. “They were two games well played.

“The worst game was the latest one with Eibar (Leganes lost 1-0). It will be a tough game.”

Valverde also played down the number of goals that Barcelona have conceded so far this season but admitted he may be tempted to tinker with his formation.

They leaked two goals in the 2-2 draw with Girona last Sunday and also saw Huesca put two past them earlier in the month.

“It’s still early. There are not many variables to analyse it,” Valverde said.

“We conceded two goals against Huesca and against Girona. The other day we had two goals in three attacks.

“The day of the Real (Sociedad game) they scored a goal when they were attacking the least. We have to wait to see the trend.

“But we have to readjust, because sometimes we have up to four strikers and that has to be covered.”

Meanwhile, Leganes boss Pellegrino wants his side to be brave and take the attack to Barcelona.

“Barcelona is a great team, we will have to control the most sensitive areas where they generate the most football,” he told the club’s official website.

“We will have to try to be as strong as possible where they hurt the most, try to be brave to attack the opponent.”

The Argentinian also called for patience from the club’s fans after their torrid start to the season.

“We have a point, it’s the truth, we have time for everything, it’s the beginning,” he added.

“I see the team are strong and with humility to reverse this situation, the difficulty is there but we have the human and football ability to turn the situation around.”