Barcelona manager makes big statement about under-fire Chelsea coach Antonio Conte ahead of UCL clash

macfranc007 February 09, 2018 IFTTT, Latest Sport News | Today on Naij.com Oluwatomiwa Babalola

- Barcelona coach backs Antonio Conte to win more titles for Chelsea

- The Spanish coach is preparing to face the Blues in Champions' League round of 16 this month

- He says Luis Enrique move to the Stamford Bridge is mere rumour

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has backed under-fire Chelsea manager Antonio Conte to replicate the feat he achieved with the club this season.

Having won the Premier League title for the Blues in his first year at the Stamford Bridge, the Italian-born tactician has been widely criticized after his side’s back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth and Watford in their last two matches in the EPL which see them drop to 4th position on the log in weeks.

But ahead of their Champions League round of 16 meeting in London on February 20, the 53-year-old Spaniard claims the former Italy national team coach cannot be written off owing to his achievements in his past assignments.

“Chelsea's head coach is the one who led them to win the Premier League title last year, he's won many titles, and he's had a great career,” Valverde said.

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The Blaugrana manager also dispels media report linking Luis Enrique, former Roma and Celta Vigo handler as the possible replacement for Antonio Conte at the end of the season, saying it’s all rumours at the moment.

“You are making a big prediction, because at the moment nothing has happened," Valverde said.

“Do you want me to tell you what's going to happen in the future? Or about your prediction? At the moment there is no changes so far.”

The Spanish League leaders continues their quest to win treble this season as they travel to Mestalla on Thursday evening to battle Valencia in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg with a goal advantage from the first leg courtesy of Luis Suarez.

Valverde, who won the La Liga manager of the year in 2015, kicked off his coaching career as an assistant coach to his former club, Athletic Bilbao in 2001. And at the end of the 2002 season, he became the head coach of the same club.

He has also coached Olympiacos twice in the Greek Premier League – where he won the league title three consecutive times.

Before he joined Barcelona in 2017, Valverde led Athletic Bilbao to clinch the Spanish Super Cup with a 5-1 win on aggregate against his current club.