FC Barcelona head coach Erneste Valverde has blamed Liverpool for being the team responsible for denying them glory in the Copa del Rey last season after that remarkable night at Anfield.
Prior to the meeting between the two sides in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, the Reds had been harshly beaten 3-0 away at the Nou Camp, in a game which they probably would not have lost on another day.
It was deemed as almost ‘mission impossible’ for Liverpool to stay alive in the Champions League but an early goal in the Anfield affair set them on their way to a memorable 4-0 win.
On one side, it was a night to remember for most fans of the Reds as the team won 4-3 on aggregate but elsewhere, it was a demoralizing evening for the travelling side and their supporters.
And in a new interview, Barca boss Valverde has revealed that the 4-0 loss at Anfield also resulted in their defeat in the Copa del Rey final because their confidence had been shot to shreds.
“Until Liverpool, we were having an incredible Champions League”, Valverde told Barcelona’s official site.
“At Anfield, we had chances but they scored early on and psychologically we started worrying that what happened in Rome might happen again.
“There was a moment of weakness and we paid for it. It was one of the toughest moments of the year.
“We must admit that the hit we took in Liverpool meant our morale was down going into the cup final.
“If we’d won against Liverpool, we’d have won the cup final too.”