Jordi Alba urges Barcelona to deliver consistency

Jordi Alba has admitted that Barcelona must show more consistency after securing a place in the Champions League knock-out stage.

Barcelona overcame Dynamo Kyiv 4-0 in Ukraine on Matchday 4 to keep their group stage record at 100%.

Ronald Koeman’s used Barca’s comfortable position in Group G to hand some of his first-team stars a much-needed rest.

Lionel Messi and Frenkie de Jong stayed at home, while the likes of Jordi Alba, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann started the game on the bench.

Martin Braithwaite, who scored a brace, and Sergino Dest, who netted first his goal for Barcelona, took advantage of Koeman’s decision to shuffle the deck.

Meanwhile, Alba, who came in as a substitute replacing Clement Lenglet, has conceded the team must be more consistent.

“I’ve been here for nine years, and it’s always the same,” Alba said in his post-match interview, as relayed by Marca.

“When we don’t win, you talk a lot. We’ve lost points because we haven’t had any luck. There are a lot of people, and the work has been very good, from the players to the coaching staff.

“We all find it hard to win; that’s because there [has been an increase in the] level. We have to be more consistent. Until the Christmas break, we have games that we have to win, and we will try.”

Alba has also heaped praise on attacking-minded full-back Dest following the United States international’s blistering display on Tuesday night.

“He is very young, he comes with a lot of desire,” the 31-year-old left-back added. “And because of his characteristics, he fits in perfectly with Barcelona. He has a high level, too.”