Valverde insists Barca goal drought is just a blip

Ernesto Valverde says he is unconcerned about Barcelona scoring only once in their last three matches in all competitions. Barca were held 0-0 at Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, following their 1-0 home win against Real Valladolid and a goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga.

Valverde's men are seven points clear of Atletico Madrid and a further two ahead of Real Madrid in the table despite winning only one of their previous three league matches, with the form of Luis Suarez placing the striker in the spotlight. Although the Uruguay international has hit 15 LaLiga goals this season, second only in the Spanish top-flight to team-mate Lionel Messi, Suarez has drawn a blank in five consecutive matches in all competitions.

But speaking ahead of Saturday's trip to Sevilla in LaLiga, Valverde is backing his misfiring front line to get back on track.

"We had some games without finishing chances but we've been creating them and not giving chances away," Valverde told reporters. "We are looking forward to the challenge. I don't know what to tell you. Sometimes results mean something as there are difficulties but it depends how you play. You might not win as you don't create chances, or you might dominate and not take your chances. Against Lyon we were creating chances but didn't convert them into goals."

"If we keep creating chances then the goals will come. Statistics can help us analyse things but they can lie. Looking at the last 15 games shows a different pattern. Sometimes you need to look at a more global scale to see what they mean rather than a shorter scale, but we have to win [against Sevilla] and that's all that matters."

"That's what being a player at a club like this is all about, sometimes you'll be the focus. This time it's the striker but it's a curious thing with Luis. The spotlight might be on him at the moment but at the start of the season he had a similar period, then people said nothing when he started scoring regularly.

"Overall he has scored a lot of goals and I think he is the fifth highest goalscorer in the club's history. In the last two games he has created good chances and had those chances himself. He's been scoring all his life and will do it again. We need patience with him and we have that as he is a great player. We have every confidence in him."

February 22, 2019