Valverde hails Barcelona players' desire

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde praised his team's motivation levels after they secured the La Liga title on Sunday.

A Lionel Messi hat-trick led Barca to an entertaining 4-2 win at Deportivo La Coruna to seal the club's seventh league title in 10 seasons.

Valverde said his players' desire to win was key to their success, which was sealed with four games remaining in the campaign.

"It is the most complicated. Win once, we all have moments when we win once," he told Movistar.

"The hard part is winning many times. You have to reactivate yourself again."

Barca remain unbeaten in the league this season, but needed two late goals from Messi at the Riazor to secure the win having seen Deportivo fight back from 2-0 down.

Valverde was relieved to finally clinch the title and said his team deserved their success.

"When you're chasing throughout the season you say, 'finally'. In the end, La Liga is very long," he said.

"We must pass the harsh winter. We have gone through everything and we really chased it from the beginning and we have arrived well with a certain margin and I think we have been the best."

Valverde also believes the La Liga title is the toughest to win, saying: "It seems the most difficult because in the cup or in the competitions with elimination, a bad day takes you out.

"Here you have to have a record."