FC Barcelona have endured their worst start to a domestic campaign in 25 years, prompting speculation that manager Ernesto Valverde could be about to get the sack. The Spaniard has now spoken out about the pressure on his shoulders.
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The Catalan giants have won just two of their league matches so far this season, and succumbed to a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Granada this past weekend, prompting speculation that Valverde's job could be on the line.
"This is how things are in the football world," Valverde said after the match, as reported by ESPN.
"You are in crisis every three days, and you can come out of it just as quick. That's what we have to try and do now. The only way to calm things down is to pick up six points this week.
"Results rule in the world of football and the coach is always in the spotlight. That's the position I am in – and have been from the start.
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"Coaches have things on the line in every game, there is nothing new there. In previous seasons, we've always been much more consistent and had an advantage over the rest of the teams, but we've not started this season well.
"We have to look at this season to see what is going wrong, not last season (when) a lot of the (dropped points) came when we had already won the league.
"But even last season we had runs like this, when we only picked up two points from nine, and we still went on to win the league because we overcame those bad spells."
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Barcelona's next league match is against Villarreal on Tuesday, 24 September.
Do you think Valverde is the right man for the Barca job? Let us have your thoughts by commenting in the section below.
