Ernesto Valverde Downplays Messi’s Injury after a Sluggish Show at Bilbao

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Barcelona showed a lack of spark as a goalless draw away to Athletic Bilbao in which Lionel Messi was short of fitness, or at least his level best.

Messi had suffered a thigh injury which limited him to only 27 minutes against Real Madrid on Wednesday but he played the full match at San Mames.

The draw makes it three games without a win for La Liga’s leaders, and offered fresh hope to their fiercest rivals, Real Madrid, in the title race. This saw their advantage over Real cut to six points after the Madrid side beat their city rivals Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Saturday.

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Barca head coach Ernesto Valverde dismissed suggestions Lionel Messi was not fit enough to start in the Sunday’s match, after the Argentine appeared to be a little off color compared his usual level of performance.

Speaking during a post match interview, Valverde said, “”Messi is fine and he has played at 100 per cent.”

“He has had some difficulties, because we had them as a collective, but when he plays it is because is absolutely convinced everything is fine.”

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The Barca, however, admitted that Arturo Vidal and Philippe Coutinho, who did little to ease the burden on their talisman, were not at their level best.

“It’s like everything else when you get a draw that you think that you should have won,” Valverde said.

“It is a matter for the whole team and people always point to a player because he failed a pass or some situation. It is true that sometimes they can be more successful.”

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Ernesto Valverde’s side will first face Real Valladolid at home next weekend before travelling to Lyon in the Champions League and Sevilla in the league. They will then play two Clasicos in four days, one in the Copa del Rey, and both at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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