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#1-Barcelona's pragmatic gameplay under Valverde
Barcelona under Ernesto Valverde is a pragmatic, well drilled winning machine. After winning the domestic double last season, the Blaugrana look well on course for a historic 'treble treble' this season. Having learnt their lesson from last season's stunning upset at the hands of AS Roma in the Champions League quarterfinals, Valverde has added midfield steel in the form of Brazilian Arthur and solidified defence with Frenchman Clement Lenglet to transform Barcelona into a pragmatic, win-at-all-costs outfit.
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Gone are the days of tiki-taka and onus on beautiful football above all else. This Barcelona side is not afraid to grind out results, as encompassed by their 1-0 away win at Old Trafford in the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal first leg where they were not flashy or brilliant but ruthlessly efficient, becoming the first Blaugrana side to win at the Mancunian fortress. Barcelona is also the only UCL side to be unbeaten this season, a feat not even Liverpool could accomplish.
