BARCELONA // A satisfied but always driven Luis Enrique summed up his feelings 90 minutes after his team had won Spain's Copa del Rey with a 3-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao. He had been sprayed by his celebrating players, but kept his cool.
“We have two now, but we want the third,” he said of his team’s Primera Liga and cup trophy haul so far. “That would be truly superb. That is the attitude this team has, that this club has.”
Enrique, 45, is experienced, honest, exacting. He is not afraid to criticise his own players and his comments about Neymar’s tricks as his side outclassed Athletic left no doubt to his feelings.
“If I’d been an Athletic player I’m sure I’d have responded the same way, or worse,” he said of the Basque anger towards the Brazilian star.
A scything tackle or verbal volley would have been dispensed, but Enrique the coach is a far wilier operator than the man who was once the lungs of the Barca team. He sees the bigger picture new and rightly praised the fans of the defeated team, saying: “Athletic deserve a title and I’m sure they’ll get one soon. The fans especially: they were spectacular.”
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It is easy to be magnanimous in victory and Enrique’s words will hardly help Athletic fans who’ve gone 31 years without a trophy and been beaten by Barca in three cups finals in six years, but the coach’s tone barely changes regardless of the result.
When the Barca world was losing their head at various stages this season over a less-than-spectacular performance or off field distraction, he kept his in a manner he did not always do as a player.
He was always expected to snap and to take the bait from journalists he keeps a distance from, but he rolled with the praise and criticism, never getting side-tracked. From Louis van Gaal to Bobby Robson, he has learned what to do and what not to do from some of the best coaches in football. Now he is one of the best coaches in football.
In a dressing room full of egos and outlandishly dressed stars, his players do not always agree with him, but they respect him and he continued to get the best out of them at exactly the right time of this season.
Real Madrid, PSG, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Atletico, they were all defeated.
Having managed at Barca B, Roma and Celta Vigo, he knew he was lucky to inherit some of the world’s best players. And he kept one by making sure that Xavi stayed when he considered leaving before this season.
“We are lucky to have such a keen group of players that enjoy playing for Barca so much,” he said after the final, crediting his charges ahead of Saturday’s Uefa Champions League final.
He also praised his key game changer, who scored twice and played a part in the third of his side’s three goals.
“We’re used to Messi,” he smiled after the striker’s two goal cameo, “we enjoy him every day in training. His first goal was from another galaxy. I can’t wait to see it on TV to enjoy it properly.”
The Asturian will use superlatives, but he w ill not get carried away.
“We’re very optimistic about Berlin, but we must be realistic and remember that Juventus are a strong team,” he said.
When asked is his side were invincible, he shook his head and replied: “Invincibles, no, please. That’s a horrible word.”
It is to him, but that is how his side look right now.
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