Valverde: Messi's the most intelligent player I have seen

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde paid credit to Eibar after Barcelona beat them 6-1 on Tuesday: "When the game ended and you looked at the score, it seemed easy, but when it was going on it wasn’t that easy." 

Valverde continued: "The scoreline is big, but they pressed us. They had good chances and hit the woodwork twicw. At 6-1 it looks like we rolled them over, but that wasn’t the case. They’re a brave team and it wasn't easy." 

There was also some kind words for Paulinho, who scored for the second game running: "He is something we didn’t have in the squad with the other players. At the beginning he was a little lost, but he’s been getting up to speed. Other players have more positional play, he’s strength, breaking the lines, set plays… The goal[s] have helped him settle."

With respect to Deulofeu and Aleix Vidal, he commented that they "are wide players and they can help us now and throughout the season. Denis [Suarez] has had a confidence boost after scoring and it would do Deulofeu well to score, too."

Obviously, though, Messi was the main man having scored four goals in the win (Paulinho and Denis scoring the other goals). 

On the Argentine, Valverde said: "He is the most intelligent player I’ve seen on a football pitch. He’s extraordinary. Today we played in a different way, without Luis [Suarez], but Messi is the same wherever you put him. From a play where it looks like nothing’s going to happen, he can create something good for us… and bad for the opposition. He loves football and he enjoys it." 

On leaving Suarez on the bench, he finished: "I think this break will do him well. He’s fine, but we fought a rest would be good."