13.12.2019 17:23 h

Valverde says looming Clasico not distracting from Real Sociedad

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde insisted on Friday that his team were not looking beyond Saturday's La Liga match at Real Sociedad at the upcoming Clasico clash with Real Madrid.

"The Clasico always grabs a lot of attention, but the players are much more aware of the next match because the Clasico is four days later," Valverde told reporters ahead of the trip to San Sebastian.

The match at Barca's Camp Nou was originally scheduled for October 26 but was postponed as political protests by Catalonian separatists peaked. It is set to go ahead on Wednesday with heightened security after protest groups said they will target the match.

However Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said on Thursday that the Clasico will be played and will not be postponed again.

"On Wednesday, we will think about what will happen on the field in the 90 minutes that is strictly football, strictly sporting and nothing else," said Valverde when asked if the team would change their routines because of the security surrounding the Clasico.

"We'll see what we do from Sunday, we're not thinking a bit beyond tomorrow's game.

"I do not want to distract from what we have tomorrow, because for us three points against Real Sociedad is the same as the three points against Real Madrid."