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Barca outclassed Manchester United in the 2009
Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium but the venue will
now be remembered as the scene of one of their biggest
humiliations after they surrendered a 4-1 advantage from the
first leg.
Valverde was also harangued for his failure to react to Roma's
dominance after they took an early lead through Edin Dzeko,
before Daniele de Rossi's penalty and a late Kostas Manolas
header sent the Italians through on away goals.
"Valverde's conservatism took its toll," said newspaper Marca,
criticizing the coach for not rotating his team in league games
despite having the Spanish title practically wrapped up, leading
to his players suffering from over-exertion.
"By trying to avoid losing the league when it was already won,
he has burnt his players out. The lack of freshness was evident
and not just last night, you could see this coming," the daily
added.
Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco overhauled his formation after
the first leg, fielding a 3-5-2 shape which overwhelmed Barca
with relentless pressing that also nullified the Spanish side's
talisman Lionel Messi.
Valverde did not make any changes until it was 3-0 in the 81st
minute, bringing off an exhausted captain Andres Iniesta for
Andre Gomes, and only throwing on the speedy Ousmane Dembele and
forward Paco Alcacer in late desperation.
"With his team at a clear disadvantage but still in the tie,
Valverde didn't go for an attacking solution like putting on
Dembele when there was still space," Marca added.
"When the Frenchman finally came on, Roma had their three goals
and closed their defense. It was a missed opportunity."
UNWILLING TO TAKE RISKS
Valverde addressed his lack of substitutions after the game and
appeared to lay the blame on his players.
"I thought that when the game was equal, with them needing one
more goal, there was enough experience in the team to see the
game out," he said.
Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo called the defeat "a
historic debacle" and also took aim at the former Athletic
Bilbao coach.
"To be in the semi-finals of the Champions League you need spark
and the capacity to take risks," it said. "That is what has
defined Barca over the years, but the players and the coach woke
up too late."
Catalan daily Sport had celebrated Barcelona being paired with
Roma in the quarter-final draw but gave a scathing account of
the outcome.
"A failure without excuses," said their front cover, with an
editorial adding: "Valverde's fear leaves Barca without another
Champions League in the era of Messi."
(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by John O'Brien)
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