Ernesto Valverde non-committal on Barcelona future

Ernesto Valverde has refused to confirm that he will honour the final year of his contract with Barcelona.

Valverde’s remarks come as Mundo Deportivo’s front page on Sunday revealed a meeting had been scheduled between Barca President Josep Maria Bartomeu and the Coach’s agent, where the option of a third season for 'Txingurri' would be discussed.

“We’re conceding too many early goals,” he said at a Press conference for Sunday’s visit of Catalan rivals Girona in La Liga.

“Girona like to press high because they have a good touch and goals in them. I see them in the line of playing to win and doing so without any complexes.

“They’ll have nothing to lose. It’s always tough to face Eusebio Sacristian’ teams and it’ll be a well-contested game.

“The left wing is a position that Coutinho knows well. We know he likes to go forward and find himself in one-on-ones. He brings a lot of imbalance.

“I’m surprised by the noise generated by the game four months from now. It interests us very little.

“The important thing is that it’s going to be played, we’ll see where, but the one that matters to me is the game on Sunday.

“I find all this noise incomprehensible [between the RFEF and La Liga], but I guess you have to stretch the rubber.

“We’ve already played against Eusebio when he coached Real Soeiedad, and we know what happened.

“He plays with two systems. Now he’s going with three centre-backs, but we don’t know what they’ll do on Sunday.

“We have references of what he’s done up to now, and for him it‘s an advantage that he knows our philosophy.

“They played a bit high when we beat them 6- 1 and they gave us space last season. Maybe tomorrow they’ll take a step back, although knowing Eusebio there may be a step forward.

“Dembele’s form doesn’t surprise me, given his great potential, and I hope his recent performances mark a starting point.

“I have a contract and the possibility to extend it by one more year. We’ll see how the season goes for the team. There’s still a long way to go.”

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