Bartomeu rails against Barcelona detractors

Barcelona deserve to be proud of a double-winning season and should not have their achievements diminished by critics, according to club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Ernesto Valverde guided the Blaugrana to LaLiga and Copa del Rey success in his first season in charge, winning the title by 12 points as they fell one match short of going unbeaten in the league.

But the disastrous Champions League quarter-final implosion against Roma partially overshadowed those efforts, while questions have also been raised over Valverde’s departure from the club’s ingrained playing style.

Bartomeu, though, is more than satisfied by the state of affairs at Camp Nou.

“We cannot win the treble every season. Of course it is our goal and we have to dream about it but it is not always possible,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“Barca have won two titles this season. I want to highlight the value and importance of this double, the eighth in our history.

“We have won the best league in the world with great superiority, and [have done so in seven of] the last 10 seasons.

“We know that from some sectors it is always a matter of playing down the merits of our team, but I assure you that the world of football values what we have achieved.”

Bartomeu also offered praise for former Athletic Bilbao boss Valverde, adding: “A good part of the success of the season bears his stamp.

“We were convinced that his technical and human profile was the ideal one to occupy the bench of the first team.”

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— FC Barcelona  (@FCBarcelona) May 16, 2018