Valverde: I’d have preferred to win 3-0

Ernesto Valverde was not completely happy despite seeing Barcelona beat Roma 4-1 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

It’s a healthy lead for Barca although the scoreline was a little flattering with the hosts needing two own goals alongside strikes from Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez.

Edin Dzeko grabbed an away goal for the visitors and Valverde said he’d rather have won 3-0 against Roma than 4-1.

“I preferred 3-0 to 4-1, nothing is done,” he said.

“They are a good team, and they started very well.”

Valverde also defended the two own goals, with Barcelona now having scored five own goals in this year’s Champions League, which is a record.

“If you don’t get close to the goal, you don’t get goals,” he said.

”It doesn’t matter if they’re own goals, what are we supposed to do?”

Source | Marca

Barcelona will head to the Stadio Olimpico next Tuesday with a healthy lead, and they will be huge favourites to progress to the semi-finals now.