As today 30 years ago, Ernesto Valverde debuted with Barcelona

Today have been filled 30 years since Ernesto Valverde’s debut with Barcelona. We are talking about the debut as a player in the field of the current coach of the Catalan team. On 9 November 1988, Valverde entered the field in the 76th minute, in a match corresponding to the respective European Cup round against Lech Poznan.

After that match, Valverde, at the age of 24, commented that “Cruyff surprised me, I thought I would not be active.” Valverde’s debut was one of the most interesting, in a match that continued until after extra time. The team headed by Johan Cruyff traveled to Poznan after the first match, played at Camp Nou, which ended with the 1-1 draw.

Cruyff took 17 players with him in Poland and Valverde was eyeing the one who had not played a minute after signing with Barcelona that summer. The coach for that match had only 16 players ready, so Johan had to add another, who in theory had to be Valverde.

When the match returned with the same result as in the first match (1-1), he was hit the field in the 76th minute. Valverde, who received a yellow card a few minutes after entering the field, became part of a match that went into the extra time and then to penalties. He contributed to the 5-4 victory (from the white spot) of that match, in the edition of that European Cup, which finally got azulgrana colors.