Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde insists no-one inside the club are writing off Real Madrid.

Barca are now 19 points clear of their eternal rivals at the top of the LaLiga table.

Valverde, ahead of their Copa del Rey tie with Espanyol, declared: "I do not know what would happen.

"I'm not talking about assumptions. If we are at 19 points we will see what will happen, but nobody should be discarded in the world of football."

On the secret of his man-management, Valverde was coy.

"I try to help my players to be better. Sometimes you say things for that. The coach's secret is the relationship between the players and I, which is very good."