The fog went down in the Eden Arena in Prague, and the stadium, small (21,000 spectators) but flirtatious, acquired a certain Gothic look. Very appropriate for a club that prides itself on its past, with constant references in every corner to old heroes like Bican, considered the top scorer of all time. Among trophies and shirts like Smicer's or Cech's - despite the fact that he played at Sparta, Slavia's great rival - Valverde appeared before the media. Barcelona faces the champion of the Czech Republic on Wednesday relieved after the victory against Inter on the second day and after the opening draw in Dortmund. Another triumph would allow the Catalans to clear the way.

However, the suspension of the classic against Real Madrid, which had to be played next Saturday at the Camp Nou, is still disturbing the protagonists. When Valverde was asked about the reasons for the postponement of the match, the Barcelona coach tightened his lips. "I don't know. I guess it has to do with the situation in Barcelona. But I ignore it. I miss all this. I would have liked to play this week."

The coach did not stop there: "I would like common sense to prevail. A game was played in Barcelona last week, Espanyol-Villarreal, and the one that was going to be played a week later was suspended. Anyway. will happen if the day we play finally calls for a demonstration? We must trust that people, and Catalan society, would respond well. That it was a demonstration of maturity for all. "

"Internal Wars"

And Valverde ended up throwing a dart before the skirmishes for specifying the day of the final dispute of the classic: "I would not like the internal wars between the Federation and the League to splatter us."

Valverde, who also took advantage of his press conference to praise the Slavia of Prague, a team that eliminated Machín last season from Sevilla in the Europa League and that the Giuseppe Meazza (1-1) was about to assault this course - "no we can trust ourselves at all, it is the team that runs the most in the competition, "the coach cried," tried to remain calm in the last injury of Samuel Umtiti.

The central Barcelona did not travel to Prague after suffering a bruise in the knee in the morning training: "Hopefully it is nothing and that it is a simple blow," said Valverde, without hiding some insecurity. Umtiti played his first game of the season after a month and a half in Eibar.

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