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La Liga | Gameweek 1
Aug 18, 2018 at 9.15pm UK
 
Alaves logo

3-0

Messi (64', 90'), Coutinho (83')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde: "Hopefully we will improve"

Valverde: 'Hopefully Barcelona will improve'
© Reuters
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde concedes that his side were not at their best against Alaves due to the visitors' overly-defensive display.

Ernesto Valverde has insisted that there is room for improvement from Barcelona, despite seeing off Alaves 3-0 in their opening La Liga fixture.

The reigning champions were made to work hard by last season's 14th-placed side, only putting the game to bed with a couple of goals in the final seven minutes.

Barca boss Valverde feels that Alaves's defensive approach at Camp Nou did not help his side, but is hopeful that there will be more rounded team displays to come.

"We haven't been able to play our best game," he said post-match. "The fact that they were situated so deep made our first combinations slow down a little.

"They had very tight defensive lines, a very defensive approach, and it made things difficult for us, but we're in August and hopefully we'll improve."

Barca travel to Real Sociedad in six days' time for their next league outing.

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Lionel Messi celebrates with Jordi Alba after scoring Barcelona's opening goal against Alaves on August 18, 2018
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