Valverde and Zidane's love-in before the Clasico

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane heaped praise on champions Barcelona on the eve of the Clasico, declaring that "winning La Liga is harder than winning the Champions League", no small admission given his side will play their third consecutive final at the end of the month.

This display of good sportsmanship, which contrasts with Zidane's negative attitude towards giving Barça a guard of honour at the Camp Nou on Sunday, was well received by Ernesto Valverde, who reciprocated the praise towards his opposite number.

"La Liga is the measure for coaches of  how you are doing during the year. Whoever wins the league is always the best team, but in Champions League other factors come into play," Valverde said.

"You can't have a bad day, you have to know how to compete, and tomorrow we are playing a team that knows how to compete like no-one else, there's also a factor of fortune,  bad luck.."

Valverde, whose Barça side were knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals to AS Roma, also showed his respect for Madrid reaching the Champions League final again.

"Perhaps there are more candidates in the Champions League and that has an influence as you can see in history. And maintaining that consistency is difficult."

Valverde found it hard to choose between the two trophies.

"When you think about it you regret the title you have lost. And they will also be thinking about La Liga. But we appreciate and value that they have got to the final. And they will also value what we have done because it's also difficult."