Ernesto Valverde insists Barcelona still have work to do despite beating Liverpool 3-0 in the Champions League semi-final first leg. Lionel Messi proved to be the decisive factor again when grabbing two goals in the last 15 minutes, to add to Luis Suarez’s earlier strike, but Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insisted it was not anything he had not seen before.
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However, Valverde says Messi continues to astound him, and again paid tribute to the Argentina superstar. “Messi always surprises you. I don’t know how he does it,” he said. “He also does it in times when we need it. We also gained some breathing room with his runs to their penalty area when we needed it.”
Despite appearing to be in a comfortable position, Valverde says he is taking nothing for granted ahead of the Anfield clash and there is work to be done. “We had to suffer to keep a clean sheet,” he added. “They are a great team: there are still 90 minutes left and we know what awaits us. “Last year we were eliminated in the quarter-finals (against Roma) having had a three-goal advantage so the tie is totally open and Liverpool will make it difficult for us.”
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