Barcelona vs Girona - Barcelona boss Valverde: It’s too early to talk new terms

Posted Sunday, September 23, 2018 by PA

Ernesto Valverde insists it is too early to discuss a potential renewal of his Barcelona contract.

The Barca boss signed a two-year deal when succeeding Luis Enrique in May 2017 and in his first season at the helm he won a LaLiga and Copa del Rey double.

The new league campaign is only four games old, with Sunday’s Catalan derby against Girona providing the fifth, and yet rumours persist in Spain that Valverde faces an uncertain future at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona vs Girona - Barcelona boss Valverde: It’s too early to talk new terms — Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde thinks it is too early to talk about a new contract (John Walton/PA)

The former Athletic Bilbao head coach resisted questions about his long-term future when previewing the Girona clash on Saturday.

He told Marca: “I have a contract and I have the possibility of extending it for another year.

“We already know how the season is going, how the team is doing, everything seems fine, but we are still in September.”

Barca lead the fledgling table by two points from fierce rivals Real Madrid, but Girona are only another three points behind and Valverde is taking their threat very seriously.

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“Eusebio’s teams don’t wait, he lets them go out to play,” Valverde said. “They play without worry and have that mentality of knowing they have nothing to lose. It will be an intense game.”

France centre-back Samuel Umtiti is suspended, meaning summer signing Clement Lenglet could get an opportunity to impress in defence, while Malcom could be declared fit following an ankle injury.

Brazilian midfielder Arthur, meanwhile, has been suffering from gastroenteritis and is touch-and-go.

Girona boss Eusebio Sacristan is convinced his seventh-placed side can do well at the Nou Camp.

🎙 Ernesto Valverde: "Girona are playing with no fear and they know they have nothing to lose. Eusebio is a coach who always stands tall and it will be an intense match." #BarçaGirona pic.twitter.com/IrsDb9PyXU

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) September 22, 2018

“Playing there is always difficult,” he told diaridegirona.cat. “But in football everything is possible and surely we have a chance.

“We must go there with determination and take advantage of any mistake, no matter how small.

“That must be our mentality and we have to go there with the confidence that we can do something beautiful. We have to believe that.”

Girona did manage to score on their trip across Catalonia last term, although they ended up losing 6-1 after taking the lead just three minutes into the game.