Ernesto Valverde: 'The step up that we needed'

“We wanted to stop them from playing their game. It was essential to keep the ball in their half and be quick to win it back whenever we lost it.”

Ernesto Valverde was offering the media his take on the 2-0 victory against Inter Milan in Wednesday’s Champions League clash.

“We needed to take a step up in today’s game and that’s what we did” he continued. “We played very well, and got better as the game progressed. Those were three very important points and the result in the other game in the group has benefited us as well.”

Singling out individuals, he mentioned that “Arthur is getting better all the time. He was great today.”

And so to the weekend and Real Madrid. “We’ll need to be solid, play as a team and go out with the right mentality" he insisted. "Because a Clásico is a different matter entirely no matter what form a team might be in.”

Rafinha, Lenglet and Sergi Roberto