An hour after Barcelona’s 2-0 victory against Real Sociedad, Luis Enrique was being interviewed when he heard a roar from his dressing room.
Valencia had just gone 1-0 up against Real Madrid at the Mestalla but the Asturian remained poker faced as he continued to answer questions.
Then there was another hubbub at the back of the media room. Valencia had gone 2-0 up and as Barca’s coach realised the situation, this time he was unable to keep a straight face.
“That will be my boys hearing it,” he said as another cheer rose from his dressing room.
“I’m still telling you that the game is not finished until the whistle.”
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With that Enrique continued answering questions but his demeanour was lighter than it has been at any time since he took charge at the start of the season.
Following his side’s outstanding midweek 3-0 victory over a Bayern Munich managed by his former teammate and friend Pep Guardiola, his stock is at an all-time high.
His players applauded him onto the training field on Friday to celebrate his 45th birthday and his team have come to the boil at the right time.
Fans chanted his name against Bayern and they did the same in the sun against Real Sociedad.
Barca’s victory against a team who had beaten them in the reverse fixture in January had put them five points clear of the their great rivals with two games to play.
They have scored 25 goals without reply in their past seven games – all of them victories – and are closing in on an improbable treble.
David Moyes’s team gave them more trouble than most.
“They have so many talented players,” said the Scot.
“You try to shut one avenue off and they come down another so we found it really difficult. But I think all teams find it difficult against them.
“They’re a fantastic team. They have great style and good players but we gave them a run for their money.
“We’d have hoped to have passed it better in the first half and the first goal was a killer.
“I can’t fault my boys, they put a great effort in and we’re much harder to play against than in the early part of the season.”
“We hoped for another upset like we gave them at home, but if you’d said to me at the start of the season, ‘you’ll take three points from six’, I would have shook your hand and said thanks very much, but in future I want to come here and I want to win.”
Neymar scored Barca’s first, but the best, an overhead kick, came from Pedro six minutes from time.
“Pedro’s goal was spectacular,” said Enrique. “I saw him already do that in training. He’s a top player. Pedro is a player who always helps the team, be it by playing or not.
“He has a difficult situation, but I’m happy to have him.”
Enrique is happy for many reasons – and with good reason.
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