Catalan’s coach and manager, Ernesto Valverde lashed out on the new format of Spanish Super Cup which has been controversial since its beginning. Ernesto Valverde told that the new format Super Cup de Espana is one of the new ways to make the money using football. This lamenting and lashing out has come hours before Catalans fixture against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Valverde opened up on the changed format and he gave his opinion about the competition and his preferred way in which it should be used. Valverde opined;
“I know the context of the country [we’re playing in] has led to a lot of reverberations. We have to keep in mind that the football we’re involved in now is an industry that is always looking for new ways of income. It is what it is.
This is my fifth Super copa, and in the first three I had to play the second leg away from home, against the league champions. Now, when I have won the league twice [with Barca], we’ve had a one-off game at a neutral setting and now these changes this year.
“It’s strange to me to have four teams, but it is what it is. If I had to choose, I would prefer the previous format, but it’s the federation that decides.”
Since last year, the Super Cup de Espana is being played out of Spain. Traditionally it was being played between La Liga and Copa del Rey winners in a one-to-one clash over two legs. Last year, it was played in Morocco rather than Spain. Also, it is not only the Spanish clubs playing out of their territory Italian league competitions are also held outside Italy. The last two editions were played in Saudi Arabia along with few matches being played in the United States, Libya, and China.
The press conference for the fixture between Catalans and Roji Blancos started late after the driver bringing Catalan manager and Sergio Busquets to Jeddah mistakenly headed for the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium at first:“We’ve certainly got to know the city a little bit better now. The chauffeur thought we were going to the stadium where Valencia and Madrid are playing, and we had to turn around. We were quite far away and there was a lot of traffic.”
It is understood from the trustable sources that Real Madrid and Barcelona will earn at least €6 million out of €120 million deal.
