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Attendance: 13,305
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La Liga
Sep 23, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
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0-3

FT(HT: 0-1)
Benitez (17' og.), Iraizoz (48' og.), Suarez (69')

Ernesto Valverde: 'Lionel Messi man-marking effort helped Barcelona'

Ernesto Valverde believes that Pablo Maffeo's man-marking of Lionel Messi in Barcelona's 3-0 win over Girona helped the rest of the Blaugrana team out.

Ernesto Valverde has claimed that Girona's man-marking of Lionel Messi in Barcelona's 3-0 win at the Estadi Montilivi helped the rest of the team.

Pablo Maffeo, on loan from Manchester City, stifled Messi in an impressive man-marking effort, stopping the 30-year-old from adding to his nine league goals of the campaign.

However, the Blaugrana still emerged triumphant, with Luis Suarez's strike and own goals from Francisco Aday and Gorka Iraizoz giving the visitors their sixth consecutive league win of the new season.

"The man-marking was clear and we had to find the place where to put Messi to move that player (Maffeo) and to get the most out of the situation," Valverde told reporters after the game.

"You have to take advantage of the situation. We tried to get the better of them by playing in the space and taking advantage of Leo's movement.

"I think Messi was fine. It's true that when you're man-marked it can be uncomfortable, but it also has advantages, not for him, but for the team. I think he was relaxed about it all.

"It was a difficult game because it was a derby, because of the atmosphere and the tension, but I think we managed it well. Maybe we struggled to finish the game off, but we've got the win."

Up next for Barca is a Champions League trip to the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday night to face Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

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Athletic Bilbao's coach Ernesto Valverde looks on during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Athletic Club Bilbao at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 20, 2014
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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