Ernesto Valverde has registered another first as Barça coach after his side’s 2-0 win against Athletic Club thanks to goals from Leo Messi and Paulinho. The man nicknamed Txingurri was in charge of the Basque side for six seasons yet as visiting coach he had never previously recorded a victory in five visits. As coach of Espanyol, Villarreal and Valencia his trips to San Mamés had ended in four defeats and a draw in La Liga and in the Copa del Rey.
Furthermore, it was the first time as visiting coach that a Valverde side has not conceded a goal. That was possible, thanks mainly to the efforts of an resplendent Marc-André ter Stegen who stopped everything Athletic threw at home. The German keeper made no less than four saves from Aritz Aduriz alone and his performance was vital in allowing Barça to take all three points and remain four points clear at the top of the table in La Liga.
