La Liga expert slams Valverde for Barca’s loss to Levante

By Boluwatife Ezekiel Olaleye

La Liga expert Terry Gibson has slammed Ernesto Valverde for costing Barcelona the chance to go the season unbeaten with his team selection.

Lionel Messi was left out of the squad to face Levante as Barcelona lost their unbeaten record in an incredible 5-4 defeat on Sunday

It was their first domestic defeat of the campaign and came as they chose to leave out Lionel Messi, despite having nothing else to play for.

Valverde also made changes at the back with Yerry Mina and Nelson Semedo coming in.

Barcelona have won the league and cup double in Spain but there is still an underwhelming feeling about the season due to the way they lost in the Champions League.

That was described in the Spanish press as the first scandal, with the defeat against Levante, and the end to their hopes for an undefeated season, being called the second.

Gibson reckons they’ve blown their only chance to ever secure an invincible season and blames the manager for his team picks.

He told La Liga Weekly: “If you’re going to go to week 37 with that record in mind, and then play that team, with two games to go and leave out Messi, who’s not even on the bench and didn’t travel, I don’t understand.

“You’ve got Sergi Roberto injured, Samuel Umtiti injured, do you then need to make further changes in the back four? It was a mystery why Valverde made so many changes.

“I can’t see them getting any closer [to going a season unbeaten]. It wasn’t like they had to play Real Madrid or any of the other big teams in their final two games.

“They had Levante away, Real Sociedad at home. They’d gone 36 unbeaten, and it was there to be done.

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“It was a unique chance to do something historic, and their team selection, attitude, and the performance of Levante were the reasons it came to an end.”