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Manager: Ernesto Valverde - FC Barcelona
El Clásico brings an intense amount of pressure, particularly for the coaches involved. Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui could soon find himself out of a job, but Barcelona’s Ernesto Valverde showed why he can shine on the grandest of stages.
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Despite missing the mercurial Lionel Messi up front, the 54-year-old tactician was confident in his squad and his players delivered. Luis Suárez brought the majority of the goals, with Philippe Coutinho adding one of his own as well.
Ivan Rakitić and Arthur were solid in the middle and helped to keep possession in vital moments. Valverde especially got the best out of Barcelona’s full-backs, with both Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba causing issues for Madrid’s back-line.
Yes, the Blaugrana do not move away from their famous 4-3-3 formation very often, and Valverde is not re-inventing the wheel. But Sunday was a massive occasion, and he pushed all the right buttons for an impressive win in football’s biggest rivalry.
