Barcelona assistant coach Alfred Schreuder hailed his team’s fighting spirit after their 3-2 La Liga win away at Valencia.
La Blaugrana held off a late fightback from the home side as second half goals from Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann sealed a crucial three points.
The win means the Catalan giants do not lose any ground to their rivals in the title race ahead of a tense end of season run in this month.
Schreuder, who is standing for boss Ronald Koeman during the Dutchman’s two game touchline ban, was pleased with their response late on.
“We have shown character and the reaction has been good,” he told a post match interview with Marca.
“We are alive in the title race and it very close.
“We do not look at others, we look at ourselves.
“Next week will not be a final match, there will be four more left and we trust our players to win La Liga.
“We have reduced the gap to Atlético since January and we have competed well these last three months.
“The past cannot be changed, and now we look to the Atletico game. We have a lot still in our hands.”
Barcelona now face a huge game at home to Diego Simeone‘s league leaders at the Camp Nou next weekend with rivals Real Madrid at home to fourth place Sevilla.
From there on until the end of the campaign, Koeman’s side face trips to Levante and Eibar either side of a home game against Celta Vigo.
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