Valencia coach ready for Copa del Rey tie vs Barcelona – ‘Want to show that we have learned’ | OneFootball

Valencia endured their worst defeat in quite some time last week when they were swept aside by Barcelona.

The club conceded as many as seven goals, with the final scoreline leading 7-1. The defeat served as a major mental blow for Carlos Corberan’s men.

However, Valencia have since recovered well and are gearing up for yet another showdown against Barcelona – this time in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

Corberan speaks ahead of Barcelona tie

Speaking to the media ahead of the Barcelona tie, Corberan sounded determined to beat Barcelona this midweek and complete his revenge.

“Watching a game where the team hasn’t been up to par isn’t pleasant, but it’s necessary,” Corberan said (h/t Mundo Deportivo) ahead of Barça’s visit to Mestalla for the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

Talking about Valencia’s chances of producing an upset, Corberan added, “We are going into the match aware of our priority, competing in the match because we are Valencia and we want to show that we have learned from each other.

“Our priority does not mean that we are not competitive. We are Valencia, we are in the quarter-finals and we always have the desire to be competitive, and on this occasion, too.”

Barcelona beat Valencia 7-1 in January. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Talking about room for improvement, the Valencia coach pointed out the aggression that will be required this week.

“Overall it was a game where we have to improve many moments of the game. We are clear that without the necessary aggression and intensity, it is difficult to compete with Barça, above the system,” he said.

“Tomorrow is a day to show that we have learned and that we have turned that pain into an improvement.”

Talking about Barcelona as an opponent, Corberan heaped praise on the Catalans for the cohesion in the team.

“Barcelona have a squad with very good players where it is difficult to single out one player above the rest, they all have the ability to play at the highest level,” he said.

Corberan even acknowledged Valencia’s improved performance while asking his players to show more aggression.

“Learning from our previous experience and showing improvement in aggression at Mestalla. The players will have the desire to make up for the pain we felt after the game in Barcelona,” he said.

These words were echoed by Valencia star Javi Guerra as well, with the midfielder highlighting the importance Mestalla will play in the final outcome.

Corberan’s statements suggest his team has done the homework against Barcelona and will come out much better prepared this time around.

Therefore, it will be interesting to see how Hansi Flick’s men fare against Los Che this midweek, as the two teams fight it off for a place in the semifinals of the Copa Del Rey.