Valverde: One can only speak of a treble after winning two trophies

Ernesto Valverde was keen to play down talk of a possible treble ahead of Saturday's LaLiga Santander meeting with rivals Real Madrid.

Despite heading into the game on the back of a 3-0 win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu which sealed Barcelona's place in the Copa del Rey final, Valverde was not prepared to get carried away.

A win at the same location on Saturday would be a huge step towards the league title, but the Barcelona coach is intent on taking each game as it comes.

"Our idea is to win all the matches that are put in front of us.

"We have not yet won a title. There is a long way to go.

"One can only think about a treble when they have won two and, for now, we don't even have one," he stated.

Some argue that the scoreline on Wednesday flattered Barcelona, who were not at their best for large parts of the game.

"It does not bother me if it said that we were brilliant or not.

"If you have 25 shots and do not score any then you have a problem and if you only shoot three times then also," he said.

"We must improve. We respect the opinion of everyone."

His side will be full of confidence after the recent win but Valverde warned that Real Madrid will have the extra incentive to gain revenge.

"When a team wins you gain confidence but when you lose you seek retribution," the 55-year-old said.

"It is an opportunity for them to remove the bad taste from their mouths.

It will be a tough match and anything can happen. Winning the first match (of the week) does not guarantee anything."