Feyenoord's Luciano Valente has concluded that FC Barcelona were 'a few steps too big' in their Champions League opener, which ended in a 5-1 defeat. This is according to VoetbalPrimeur.
Valente acknowledges that Barcelona's quality was evident throughout the match, with the Catalan club ultimately punishing Feyenoord for their mistakes. "You can feel it at every moment that Barcelona is a few steps too big today," Valente said in an interview with Ziggo Sport. "I think we showed some good football at times, but they also give you that feeling. In the end, they punished us well. They have enormous quality."
Despite the heavy defeat, Valente sees positives in the match, particularly in Feyenoord's ability to create space and play football. "We had a few moments where we could play football freely, and we showed that we can do that," Valente said. "But when it goes wrong, it's a bit of a hangover. But that's the Champions League. We need to take that into account and we do, but it's clear that they were a few steps too big."
Valente also believes that the defeat is a valuable learning experience for the team, particularly for the younger players making their Champions League debut. "It's super educational in every way," Valente said. "For many young players, it's their debut in the Champions League. I think it's a good start to get used to the level and know what to expect. Of course, you can take positive moments from this. I'm happy that we were able to score a goal for the fans."