Ernesto Valverde's emphatic response to speculation on his future

Ernesto Valverde has not been able to avoid talking about a possible conflict between him and the Barcelona board after the Champions League elimination to Roma,  which provoked a number of rumours about his future, angering the coach.

The coach was again asked about his relationship with the board ahead of the game against Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, where Barça are set to win the league title.

He did not run away from the question.

"I have no doubt that people will talk about this for the rest of the year and the season," he said.

"People are always talking about the coach's position. They are speculations andd I have nothing to say about it. I have a contract until next year and I'm happy here."

Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu also dismissed the stories last week and Valverde pointed to his boss's words.

"If the president said it then we don't have to say anything else. I don't know, I don't know what'll happen tomorrow. I have a contract and we hope that in the next five games we win the league."

Valverde also said everyone will react to his performance in his first year in charge at Barça differently.

"The evaluation depends on each person. We need to take a breathe and realise what we have achieved. The last few league titles were not won by big margins. I don't know if we'll win the league tomorrow or not but I never thought we'd have an advantage like we do. I thought it would be a lot closer."