Barca Boss Luis Enrique announces exit

Manager of La Liga giants FC Barcelona, Luis Enrique, has announced on Wednesday night that he will step down as Barca Boss at the end of the 2016/2017 season.

The 46-year-old, who is in his third season in charge of catalan club, made this known while speaking after their 6-1 win over Sporting Gijon at the Nou Camp.

“I will not manage Barça next season,” Enrique said.

“I need to rest. I want to thank the club for their confidence, and the players for their dedication and professionalism.

“It is a difficult, measured and well thought-out decision and I think I have to be loyal to what I think,” added the former Spain midfielder, who also played for Barcelona between 1996 and 2004 and coached their B team from 2008 to 2011, returning to the club as first-team boss after spells managing Roma and Celta Vigo.

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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said: “Luis Enrique has brought us great success and he can still bring us more. The players are motivated to do it.

“We accept Luis Enrique’s decision. He has been a great coach. Now is it time to end his spell in the best possible way.”

Enrique’s side, who won the Champions League as part of the treble in his first year, and led them to a domestic double last season, are on the verge of elimination from the 2016/2017 Champions League, after losing 4-0 to Paris St-Germain in the last-16 first leg.

Barca will play the French giants at Camp Nou in the return leg later this month, as they hope to overturn the 4-0 deficit to advance to the next round of the competition.

But Wednesday’s win over Sporting has taken them to the top of La Liga, as Real Madrid played 3-3 with Las Palmas to stay second, however with one outstanding game left for the Zinedine Zidane’s side.

 

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