MX23RW : Thursday, December 19 10:05:19| >> :60:1925:1925:
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Attendance: 5,145
Eibar logo
La Liga
May 19, 2019 at 3.15pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

2-2

Cucurella (20'), De Blasis (45')
FT(HT: 2-2)
Messi (31', 32')

Ernesto Valverde demands more from Barcelona after Eibar draw

Valverde demands more from Barcelona after Eibar draw
© Reuters
Lionel Messi's brace was not enough to secure victory.

Ernesto Valverde hopes Barcelona's 2-2 draw at Eibar will serve as a wake-up call ahead of the Copa del Rey final.

Lionel Messi scored a quick-fire double after Marc Cucurella's opener, but the champions were pegged back in the last game of their LaLiga campaign by Pablo De Blasis' equaliser.

Barca head to Seville to face Valencia next Saturday as they look to win a record fifth straight Copa del Rey.

And manager Valverde knows his side will have to improve if they are to complete another domestic double.

"All the matches serve (as tests), but Saturday's match will be different because the teams are different and because this was marked by the fact thatĀ EibarĀ didn't play for anything," Valverde said at his press conference, according to Marca.

"We tried to gauge the intensity of the game and we were good in the first half, but in the second half we couldn't overcome the pressure and we had fewer chances and we made dangerous mistakes.

"We are ready for the final and the game served us well because we were put in our place."

Lionel Messi bagged a brace for Barcelona
Lionel Messi bagged a brace for Barcelona (Ion Alcoba/AP)

Messi's brace took him to 50 goals for the campaign in all competitions.

He ended the league campaign with 36 goals and claimed the top-scorer award for a record-equalling sixth time.

He ended the game playing alongside 21-year-old Barcelona B forward Carles Perez, who came off the bench to make his first-team debut.

He said, according to Marca: "I'm so happy, it has been an unforgettable moment that I will always remember.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to get my debut this season, but the boss just said to be calm.

"I'm not used to playing on the left, but it felt good in the end."

Barcelona confirmed right-back Nelson Semedo had "been taken to hospital for routine tests afterĀ sustaining a head injury" during the game.

On his squad's other injuries, Valverde said: "We think that (Marc-Andre) Ter StegenĀ will be fine for the final and, while I don't know about (Philippe) Coutinho, it will be difficult for (Ousmane) DembeleĀ to play. I don't know aboutĀ Arthur."

Eibar bossĀ Jose Luis Mendilibar, whose side finished the campaign in 12th, said: "We have got a point that we had never achieved and we have also scored two goals against them, something we did not do against Barcelona either.

"I am happy with the game, we had our chances to win, but the draw is good."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
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2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Villarreal177642928127
6Mallorca188371821-327
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Rayo Vallecano175661920-121
13Celta Vigo176382528-321
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1743101629-1315
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia162591424-1011


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