Barcelona Manager Luis Enrique to Step Down by the Season's End
Most saw it coming.
Barcelona‘s boss Luis Enrique has announced his plan to step down at the end of the 2016/17 La Liga season. The Spaniard has been with the club since 2014 and has led the deadly MSN — Messi, Suárez and Neymar Jr. — to a treble in his first year, which included the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey titles. Enrique’s most recent achievements saw the Spanish giants take a domestic double last season.
However, after a humiliating 4-0 defeat against French powerhouse Paris St-Germain in the first match of the Champions League’s last-16 round, some fans are looking forward to a change. Barcelona currently sit atop of the La Liga table, one point ahead of rivals Real Madrid. Barça face Alaves in the Copa del Rey final on May 27. Enrique, a former midfielder for Spain who retired from play in 2004, states:
“It is a difficult, measured and well thought-out decision and I think I have to be loyal to what I think. I would like to thank the club for the confidence they have shown in me. It’s been three unforgettable years. It’s about how I live with my profession, with a never-ending quest for solutions and to improve my team. That means I have very little time to rest, very few hours to disconnect. I think it will be good for me at the end of the season, because I need to rest. That’s the principle motive. The most important thing is we have three exciting months left in all three competitions. In one of them, we are in a difficult situation but if the stars align, we will have a chance to turn it around.”
