Luis Enrique
He wants his Barcelona players to get a morale boost by beating Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday, though he claims the result will not matter at all to him.
Luis Enrique
The Catalan side are already through as winners of Champions League Group C and the coach is not concerned with the result of their last game of the round.
The Spanish champions were held to a 1-1 draw in El Clasico on Saturday, extending their run to just two wins in their last seven matches in all competitions.
Their final Champions League group game this week could offer some respite from their domestic struggles, however, as Barca have already guaranteed top spot in Group C ahead of the Bundesliga side’s visit to Camp Nou.
“Without any doubt, the coaches are judged by results,” Luis Enrique told a media conference. “I don’t give a s**t about winning [on Tuesday] for my own morale, but it’s important that we get a win for the morale of my players.
“My general plan will not change. I don’t see concerns, only football situations that can be improved.
“The plan is to be alive in every competition, to come up with chances to win every trophy possible. It’s an ambitious, demanding plan, to get to May with the chance of winning everything.”
Luis Enrique hopes to see Camp Nou given an entertaining performance on Tuesday but insists that his squad are ambitious as ever when it comes to fighting for trophies.
“If you talk about attitude, it’s a big mistake. If this team has anything, it’s ambition. I’ve never seen a lack of attitude,” he said.
“Winning is always a cure for what ails you. We’ve had an almost perfect group stage and so the game is almost incidental.
“But it’s a Champions League game in front of our own fans and we want to have fun, irrespective of the players I’ll use.”
Luis Enrique confirmed that he will start Lionel Messi, despite Barca being likely to field an otherwise weaker side.
The 46-year-old also calmed any concerns over Neymar, who has been diagnosed with muscle fatigue but is suspended for the games against Gladbach and Osasuna this week.
“Messi will play tomorrow, from the start,” he said. “Neymar picked up a knock and we have to control his work load a little more. If he weren’t banned he wouldn’t be available. He should recover okay.”
