Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde hailed the ‘magisterial’ Lionel Messi for ‘making the extraordinary seem routine’ with his hat-trick against PSV.
“What Messi does is normal because we always see it from him,” said the Coach after his side’s 4-0 Champions League win.
“It wouldn’t be normal if it was anyone else, but he does extraordinary things and makes them seem routine.
“It was a magisterial free kick and we’re getting tired of repeating it, although some never do!
“Dembele’s very good. He’s scoring goals and showing consistency, which he’s earned with his work.
“He’s able to bring the team together in defence and he can unbalance a match. It’s normal that we found it tough.
“They were organised, looking for counterattacks, and carried it out well with quick players.
“We found it difficult to score the first goal. We started the second half well, dominating the game and not allowing any breaks, but at only 1-0 against there was still danger. We calmed down with the second goal.
“Who isn’t motivated by the Champions League? There are only six games in the group stage and we know the importance of each one.
“There’s a certain margin in La Liga, while mistakes are expensive in the Champions League so we can’t afford to trip up.”
