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Enrique plays down talk of rift in squad
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has played down talk of a rift with his squad after their surprise home defeat by Alaves and is hoping to put things right
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has played down talk of a rift with his squad after their surprise home defeat by Alaves and is hoping to put things right in their Champions League opener against Celtic on Tuesday.
Spanish sports website Diario Gol reported on Monday that some players responded to a telling off following the 2-1 La Liga reverse on Saturday by questioning Luis Enrique’s decision to make eight changes to the team.
“We talk after every game to correct things and to reinforce other aspects but what happens in those meetings is only important for the players and staff,” he said on Monday.
“We always talk with the players to try and put them on the right track to win the game but it is not an exact science.”
Barca’s defeat was their first in 12 competitive matches and Luis Enrique said it was good for the players to be back in action so soon after losing to La Liga newcomers Alaves.
“This team has a great recent history, two great years with us in charge, and it appears we can’t fail but it happens,” he added in reference to their treble success in his debut campaign and La Liga-King’s Cup double last season.
WENGER BACK ON FAMILIAR GROUND
LONDON: Arsenal’s long-serving manager Arsene Wenger will feel at home when he takes his team to the Parc des Princes for Tuesday’s Champions League opening Group A match against Paris St Germain.
A regular visitor to the French capital, the Strasbourg-born Wenger has often been linked in the past with an executive role at PSG when he finally leaves Arsenal, the club he joined in 1996. Since then the London side have qualified for the Champions League in every full season of his management.
For the last 16 years in succession they have reached the second stage of the competition, only to suffer the frustration of defeat in the first knockout round for six seasons in a row.
Along with PSG, they must be regarded as favourites to qualify again from a group also including Basel and Bulgarian side Ludogorets.
Arsenal, who have a good record on recent visits to France, have recovered from taking a single point from their opening two Premier League games, winning the next two to reach sixth place in the table.
