Barcelona

Ernesto Valverde wants "even better" Barcelona

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 01 June 2017

Ernesto Valverde vows to make Barcelona "even better" after speaking of the "privilege" at being handed the managerial position at Camp Nou.

Ernesto Valverde has vowed to make Barcelona "even better" after speaking to the media for the first time since being confirmed as the Spanish outfit's new head coach.

Valverde left his position with Athletic Bilbao last month to take charge of Barcelona, and the 53-year-old has said that it was "a privilege" to be given the chance to take control of the Catalan giants.

"The truth is that it's a privilege and also lucky for me that the club thought of me and offered me this position," he told Barca TV. "I'm facing this new stage of my career with great enthusiasm and as a major challenge, with the intention of trying to make Barca even better than they are.

"Compared to my spell at Barca as a player? I see this stage in a completely different light. Back then, I was younger. Now I'm more aware of what it means to take this step. I'd like things to be as we all want them to be, I want the fans to enjoy themselves and watch a team that serve our style of play and, above all, them.

"I'd love for the fans to continue enjoying themselves because they've enjoyed watching a lot of the players and coaches that have been here in the past century.

"My idea is the same - to continue in that line and, if we can, go a step further and do even better because football is about that, winning, making the fans happy, that they identify with their team and can be very proud of the players, and that's what we want. I hope we can achieve it."

Former forward Valverde, who had been in charge of Bilbao since 2013, represented Barcelona as a player between 1988 and 1990, scoring eight times in 22 league appearances.