Barcelona’s coach Luis
Enrique before the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and
Malaga CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.<br />Luis Enrique
announced on March 1, 2017 that he will leave Barcelona at end of season. / AFP
PHOTO / LLUIS GENE
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique’s decision to remove any suspense
over his future by confirming he will step down as coach after three
trophy-filled but turbulent seasons at the Camp Nou at the end of the campaign
was met with surprise on Thursday.
“Goodbye leader,” said the front page of Barcelona sport daily
Mundo Deportivo in reference to Enrique’s announcement coming on the same night
Barca overtook Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Normally a combustible character, the 46-year-old calmly explained
his reasoning for not seeking to renew his expiring contract after a 6-1
thrashing of Sporting Gijon on Wednesday.
Enrique cited the daily grind of the pressure as Barca boss and
insisted he needs time to rest.
“Luis Enrique leaves as he has always been, faithful to who he is:
unpredictable and indomitable,” said Barcelona-based newspaper Sport.
“His announcement took almost everyone by surprise in a decision
that was strictly his.”
However, it was the sudden nature of his announcement rather than
the decision to leave that shocked the most.
“In the summer he already told us he was considering this could be
his final year,” said Barca president Maria Josep Bartomeu.
The conclusion has merely been precipitated by a 4-0 thrashing at
the hands of Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago that leaves the Catalans needing
a historic comeback in next week’s second leg to avoid elimination from the
Champions League at the last 16 stage for the first time in 10 years.
Enrique told the players his decision just minutes before going
public at the end of his post-match press conference on Wednesday. “We were all
left a bit open-mouthed,” admitted midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
However, undercurrents of disagreement with major figures in the
dressing room have been a feature of Enrique’s time in charge.
Captain Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets criticised his tactical
set-up in the demolition by PSG a fortnight ago.
Moreover, a bust up with Lionel Messi in January 2015 nearly cost
Enrique his job after just six months in charge.
Instead, he went onto win eight trophies in the last three
seasons. Only the two greatest coaches in Barca’s history — Pep Guardiola and
Johan Cruyff — have won more.
That figure could even rise to 10 as Barca face Alaves in the Copa
del Rey final on May 27 in what is likely to be Enrique’s last match in charge,
and hold a one-pont lead over Real Madrid in La Liga, albeit Madrid do still
have a game in hand.
– Stylistic differences –
Yet, the criticism that followed Barca’s dismantling in Paris centred around a feeling they have begun to lose their identity in the Enrique years.
Yet, the criticism that followed Barca’s dismantling in Paris centred around a feeling they have begun to lose their identity in the Enrique years.
Far from the sides filled with home-grown players built around the
midfield of the Guardiola years, Enrique’s team has been about feeding the star
front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar the ball as quickly as
possible.
In Barca’s first outing after Paris last weekend — a nervy 2-1 win
over lowly Leganes only sealed by a late Messi penalty — there was only one
Spanish player in Barca’s starting line-up for the first time in their history.
Therefore, maintaining a sense of Barca’s DNA in the next
appointment is likely to be crucial to an under-fire board.
For that reason former Barca player and highly experienced
Athletic Bilbao Coach Ernesto Valverde is a leading candidate.
However, polls suggest the supporters’ choice would be Sevilla’s
Jorge Sampaoli.
Sampaoli, who has guided Sevilla to third in La Liga and the
Champions League last 16 in a highly impressive first season in Europe, is also
likely to be a popular choice with fellow Argentine Messi.
The five-time World Player of the Year has just over a year to run
on his contract and keeping Messi happy and willing to extend his deal will
have a huge influence on who is chosen to succeed Enrique.
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