Emery lied about Barcelona's Verratti pursuit, says Fernández
Sporting director Robert Fernández has contradicted the PSG coach's recent claim that Barça "never seriously went after Marco Verratti".
Barcelona's sporting director, Robert Fernández, says Unai Emery lied to Blaugrana coach Ernesto Valverde over the LaLiga club's failed summer pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti.
On Tuesday, PSG boss Emery was captured by Spanish TV cameras telling Valverde at UEFA's Elite Club Coaches Forum that Barça "never seriously went after Verratti".
Fernández: "He knows perfectly well we wanted Verratti"
"That's not true, and Unai knows it isn't because throughout these weeks I've spoken to him [Emery] personally," Fernández told a press conference on Saturday.
"He knows perfectly well that we wanted the player."
Says Barcelona have "magnificent squad" despite transfer disappointments
Fernández was speaking to the media following a transfer deadline day on which Barça failed to sign a single player - most notably chief target Philippe Coutinho.
"Although I'd have liked to bring in the odd additional player and it wasn't to be," he said, "I think we have a magnificent squad of players."
¡Atentos a lo que dice Emery sobre el fichaje de Di María por el Barcelona! El técnico a Valverde. "Hazme caso" 😱😱 https://t.co/Psj4TJWzr8 pic.twitter.com/6nV8TDD79E
— Deportes Cuatro (@DeportesCuatro) August 31, 2017