Enrique battles to explain routing in Paris
BARCELONA – Barcelona coach Luis Enrique floundered in the firing line yesterday after what he called a “disastrous” 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain left the Spanish champions on the brink of their earliest Champions League exit in a decade.
Enrique confronted a television reporter after the match, while his tactics were criticised by Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets.
A former Real Madrid foe came back to haunt Barca as Angel di Maria scored twice, while further goals from Julian Draxler and Edison Cavani handed PSG the glorious European night they have craved since a takeover from Qatar Sports Investments six years ago.
The joint heaviest defeat in Enrique’s three seasons in charge means they face missing out on the quarterfinals for the first time since losing on away goals to Liverpool in the last 16 in 2006/07.
“It was a disastrous night for us in which we were clearly inferior,” Enrique acknowledged after the game.
Enrique’s future at the Camp Nou beyond the current campaign was already in doubt as his contract expires at the end of the season.
Barcelona also trail Real Madrid in the race for the Spanish title.
And Busquets’s reaction in praising Enrique’s counterpart Unai Emery for the tactical set-up that caught the Catalans cold was telling.
“It wasn’t an attitude problem, but a football one. They pressed more and were better tactically. They had a plan and carried it out as they wanted.”
Enrique’s preference for Portuguese international Andre Gomes in midfield has been a particular bug bear for the press. Gomes missed a huge chance to level with the score a 10 midway through the first-half. –