Ernesto Valverde admitted that Lionel Messi was not one hundred percent ready to play against Madrid's "Real", so he made the decision to start with Malcom.
Before the match, there was a lot of debate about L. Messi's possibility to take the field. The Argentinian did get the chance to show himself, but only did so in the second half after coming off the bench.
"He is doing well, but we cannot risk similar injuries," Valverde said right after the game.
"He is not completely ready, there is a certain discomfort felt, so we had to make a decision that would be the best for both parties.
As a coach, sometimes you have to make tough decisions, but they can benefit both the player and the team. We knew that physically he was not feeling his best, but we understood that he could help us in the last half hour," added the strategist.
Asked about Malcom's performance, E. Valverde replied: "It was a big game for him. He integrated well into the team's game and demonstrated a really excellent performance."
