luis enrique naive not to be messidependent
Sunday 13 July 2025
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

the best player in the world

Luis Enrique: Naive not to be Messi-dependent

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Luis Enrique: Naive not to be Messi-dependent

Lionel Messi
Barcelona - Arab Today

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique insists his side’s reliance on Lionel Messi is perfectly normal when you have “the best player in the world” on your side.
Messi has kept Barca’s La Liga title challenge alive with late winners in 2-1 wins over Leganes and Atletico Madrid in their last two outings to take his tally for the season to 35 goals in as many games.
However, Barca have still to tie down Messi’s long-term future at the Camp Nou. The five-time World Player of the Year has just over a year to run on his contract with talks over a new deal ongoing.
“It would be naive to think we wouldn’t depend on the best player in the world,” said Enrique on Tuesday.
“Hopefully we can depend on him for many years to come.”
Victory at Atletico eased somewhat the mounting pressure on Enrique after a 4-0 thrashing at Paris Saint-Germain two weeks ago left the Catalans on the verge of bowing out at the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in 10 years.
In particular, his tactical shift from Barca’s traditional possession-based game to a more direct style designed to get the best out of a superstar front three of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar has been criticized.
However, Enrique insisted ahead of Sporting Gijon’s visit to the Camp Nou on Wednesday, that possession is only a means to an end.
“The key to having possession is not just to have it for the sake of it, but to have possession as a means of reaching a goal, and the goal is winning games,” he added.
“If the opponent sits back and allows long passages of play in possession they don’t leave you spaces to find gaps.
“If they decide to press high and leave space then it doesn’t make sense too not take advantage of that and in two touches overcome the press to score a goal.”
Enrique hopes to have Javier Mascherano and Arda Turan back from injury for the visit of struggling Sporting, who sit two points off safety in 18th.
And with tougher tests against Celta Vigo and the return leg with PSG to come in the next week, Enrique is expected to make sweeping changes from the side that started against Atletico with the likes of Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic and Andre Gomes also set to return.

Source: Arab News

GMT 08:04 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Smith rejects ball-tampering suggestions

GMT 07:36 2018 Monday ,22 January

Kane strikes but Spurs drop points

GMT 07:29 2018 Monday ,22 January

Golf: Garcia stamps class in Singapore

GMT 07:08 2018 Monday ,22 January

Napoli edge Atalanta to extend Serie A lead

GMT 09:31 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Impey steals surprise Tour Down

GMT 05:33 2018 Saturday ,20 January

Kyrgios topples idol Tsonga in electric clash

GMT 05:31 2018 Saturday ,20 January

calls for greater Slam prize money

GMT 07:43 2018 Friday ,19 January

to host WTA Finals until 2028
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

luis enrique naive not to be messidependent luis enrique naive not to be messidependent

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

luis enrique naive not to be messidependent luis enrique naive not to be messidependent

 



GMT 10:31 2014 Tuesday ,23 December

Mirages of failure: Lebanon cannot wait

GMT 12:05 2017 Wednesday ,27 September

Fadl Shaker change residency after threats

GMT 16:17 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Five Saudi women pilots granted GACA licences

GMT 05:06 2024 Tuesday ,06 February

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 22:15 2017 Tuesday ,06 June

Actor Tariq Lotfy satisfied

GMT 08:31 2017 Friday ,07 July

Speaker receives outgoing

GMT 11:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

No end to eyesores at Taj Mahal

GMT 14:29 2016 Thursday ,22 December

China launches carbon dioxide

GMT 01:17 2012 Saturday ,03 March

Turkish hit movie glorifies Ottoman conquest

GMT 06:33 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Saudi, Iran to exchange diplomatic visits

GMT 11:11 2013 Tuesday ,31 December

Rubaie recalls Saddam Hussein\'s end

GMT 23:07 2017 Saturday ,07 October

Khalid bin Hamad Theatres Festival launched

GMT 16:24 2012 Tuesday ,06 November

64% of women sexually harassed

GMT 07:13 2017 Thursday ,02 November

Qatar Airways Opens Fourth New Gateway

GMT 21:34 2017 Wednesday ,08 March

Sudanese Kambala dance celebrates rains in Autumn

GMT 08:59 2012 Tuesday ,21 August

Ramadan works enrich drama

GMT 17:02 2017 Monday ,08 May

All taxis in Oman to run on meters?

GMT 10:04 2017 Tuesday ,21 November

9 citizens killed in US-Saudi air strikes on Hodeida
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice