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Attendance: 13,305
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La Liga
Sep 23, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
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0-3

FT(HT: 0-1)
Benitez (17' og.), Iraizoz (48' og.), Suarez (69')

Ernesto Valverde: 'Lionel Messi man-marking effort helped Barcelona'

Ernesto Valverde believes that Pablo Maffeo's man-marking of Lionel Messi in Barcelona's 3-0 win over Girona helped the rest of the Blaugrana team out.

Ernesto Valverde has claimed that Girona's man-marking of Lionel Messi in Barcelona's 3-0 win at the Estadi Montilivi helped the rest of the team.

Pablo Maffeo, on loan from Manchester City, stifled Messi in an impressive man-marking effort, stopping the 30-year-old from adding to his nine league goals of the campaign.

However, the Blaugrana still emerged triumphant, with Luis Suarez's strike and own goals from Francisco Aday and Gorka Iraizoz giving the visitors their sixth consecutive league win of the new season.

"The man-marking was clear and we had to find the place where to put Messi to move that player (Maffeo) and to get the most out of the situation," Valverde told reporters after the game.

"You have to take advantage of the situation. We tried to get the better of them by playing in the space and taking advantage of Leo's movement.

"I think Messi was fine. It's true that when you're man-marked it can be uncomfortable, but it also has advantages, not for him, but for the team. I think he was relaxed about it all.

"It was a difficult game because it was a derby, because of the atmosphere and the tension, but I think we managed it well. Maybe we struggled to finish the game off, but we've got the win."

Up next for Barca is a Champions League trip to the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday night to face Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

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Athletic Bilbao's coach Ernesto Valverde looks on during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club Bilbao at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 20, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid29226164204472
2Barcelona29197360342664
3GironaGirona29195559342562
4Athletic Bilbao29168550262456
5Atletico MadridAtletico29174854342055
6Real Sociedad291210742311146
7Real BetisBetis29101273433142
8Valencia28117103232040
9Villarreal29108114751-438
10Getafe2991193742-538
11Las PalmasLas Palmas29107122932-337
12Osasuna29106133343-1036
13AlavesAlaves2988132635-932
14Mallorca29612112535-1030
15Rayo Vallecano29611122538-1329
16Sevilla29610133644-828
17Celta Vigo2969143244-1227
18CadizCadiz29313132040-2022
19Granada2828183058-2814
20Almeria29110182857-2913


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