Ernesto Valverde has outlined the significance of Barcelona’s home fans at the Camp Nou ahead of their Champions League clash with Liverpool.
His opposite number Jurgen Klopp stirred controversy by claiming the home stadium of the Catalan giants was ‘no longer a temple of football’, but Valverde highlighted the importance of home fans.
“When 90,000 fans are chanting your name, it inspires you as a player and as a team,” Valverde told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
“The fans at the Camp Nou have been decisive for us in recent weeks, they helped us to win La Liga on Saturday and we will call on them again on Wednesday.
“As a team this motivates you and as a rival team it will intimidate you, that has always been the case, so we must utilise it.
“Jurgen Klopp’s comments? It is a football pitch with two sets of goals, 22 players attempting to score…he was trying to play down the situation.”
