With Real Madrid back in the picture, the ESPN FC crew assess the chances Barcelona will relinquish their six-point advantage.
Barcelona were held scoreless in Bilbao, but still lead second-place Real Madrid by six points atop the La Liga table.
Ernesto Valverde has agreed a one-year contract extension with Barcelona, ending speculation that he could walk away from the club in the summer.
Valverde’s new terms will ensure he remains in charge of Barca next season. There’s also an option for him to extend the deal until the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
Doubts had risen in recent months about the coach’s future. Speaking to Barca TV over Christmas, Valverde said he didn’t know what he would be doing next season.
Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu has repeatedly expressed his will for Valverde to continue at the helm, and as recently as January said he was “certain” the former Athletic Bilbao manager would renew.
Valverde, 55, had not been as open about his desire. Last week, he said in a news conference that he had nothing to say about his future. But Friday’s renewal brings an end to the suggestion this could be his final six months in charge of Barcelona.
Appointed as Luis Enrique’s replacement in 2017, Valverde steered Barca to a league and cup double in his first season in charge. The Catalans came close to completing the whole league campaign unbeaten, only to lose to Levante in their penultimate game.
The surprise Champions League defeat to Roma — where they suffered a collapse after winning the first leg 4-1 — left a blot on an otherwise successful season, however.
This season, Barca are top of La Liga by six points and are through to the semifinal of the Copa del Rey. They drew 1-1 with Real Madrid in the first leg with the return to come at the Bernabeu on Feb. 27.
Before then, the Spanish champions play away at French side Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie.
A successful Champions League campaign, sources had told ESPN FC, was thought to be the key to Valverde staying on. In that sense, the renewal has come earlier than expected.
Despite some concerns about his occasionally conservative approach to games, Valverde has the backing of the squad.
Both in private and in public, players, including Ivan Rakitic and Gerard Pique, have commented in recent weeks that they wanted Valverde to extend his deal with the club.
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