Barcelona Claims they have lost their symbolic essence

With much emphasis being placed on Barcelona deciding against paying tribute to Real Madrid's Club World Cup win on Saturday, coach Ernesto Valverde has indicated that he wouldn't want one if the roles were reversed.

Criticism has been levelled at the Catalans for a perceived lack of respect however the Blaugrana boss made clear that he considers all guards of honour to have lost their importance.

"A [guard of honour] was something done years ago as a symbolic tribute, as recognition between players, when football had not acquired this nuance that is contaminating everything," Valverde told reporters on Friday.

"We do have recognition towards Madrid, for what they have achieved this year.

"On the notion of a guard of honour, I wouldn't do it for anyone, nor would I want it to be done for us. It has now has lost the essence that it had a few years ago."

Perhaps the key question going into El Clasico will be who feels the pressure more, with the Blaugrana 11 points clear of their rivals, although Valverde expects that regard to be about even.

"We can't win the title tomorrow, Atletico Madrid are six points behind and that could be down to three," noted the Spaniard. "We will face the match as if it were our last.

"Both of us are under pressure because of what the match means. They go into it behind us, so it is possible [Real feel more pressure], but it is not defining.

"We know that in games of this kind, you have to be attentive to any detail because there are players on the pitch who are so extraordinary who, in any move, can win the game. We must ensure that all the details that can favour us, do just that.

"We have to be very focused to avoid their pressure. In the Supercopa they hurt us with their pressure and we have to overcome it."

That two-legged defeat at the start of the campaign seemed to set the tone for what was to come, and the Barcelona coach considered its effect on this occasion.

"Like everything, it is a very long season and there is always time to overcome bad games, to go back into crisis, and for all manner of things," said Valverde.

"At that time we had a negative result that conditioned us. We have been pushing forward in every competition since and I think the team has continued to do more.

"It was one more moment of the season which wasn't like the rest because it was an important game, and what we want is to emphasise the good times, play a good game [on Saturday] and go there to win, knowing the difficulty that it will bring."

Who lines up in Madrid's attack is a point of discussion for many with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo experiencing tricky seasons, and Valverde picked out two other names to consider on the same level.

"Real's team won't change things for me, but certain details will," he added.

"Isco is not the same as Bale or [Marco] Asensio. Regardless of who plays, their style won't vary much. It is an important game and [Ronaldo] is an important player."

The former midfielder also discussed the impact of Barcelona taking to the Spanish capital just hours after the Catalonian elections, a scenario that seems unlikely to end the country's political crisis.

"We have had a month and a half without questions of this kind," said Valverde.

"I have no doubt that the atmosphere will be good. I think we went to Atletico near the 1-O event, and there was a lot of talk about the reception we had but I think it was one of the best matches we've seen in the stands and with good vibes on the pitch, too."

Rounding off their 2017 in Madrid, Barcelona kick off at 13:00 CET on Saturday.