Luis Enrique helped Barcelona out of a delicate moment when he took over from Gerardo Martino in 2014 and has the full backing of his players now, says Gerard Pique.
The Barca boss has come under fire since the 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain last Tuesday in the Champions League. His contract expires in the summer and he revealed at the weekend that he’s still not decided what he will do beyond the current campaign.
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists he wants Luis Enrique to continue at the helm into a fourth season — saying “there is no Plan B” — and Pique says the players are behind him, too.
“When the manager arrived, we were in the absolute s— and with him we won the Treble,” the centre-back said at an event in Barcelona on Monday.
“I’d like it if everyone looked back and saw all the work the manager has done with us. We are with him until the death. We’re all together trying to overcome this dip in form.”
Barca followed up the loss in Paris with an out-of-sorts performance against Leganes on Sunday, with a 90th-minute penalty from Lionel Messi rescuing three points and keeping them in the title race.
Pique acknowledges that the Blaugrana are struggling to play their best football at the moment, but he’s certain they will come through it.
“We can get through it,” he said. “Yes, we’re not going through our best moment of form. It’s been a month-and-a-half now without playing the football we like to play and the most important thing is to be recognisable and to get back to playing the way we like to play.
“We’re still alive in three competitions and we have a chance in all three, even though it’s true that it’s going to be really difficult in the Champions League.
“But worse situations have been seen before and with this team we will try until the end. We will try to play how we know and I don’t doubt that’s what both the manager and the players want. We’re focused on finding solutions.”
And to the fans who whistled Luis Enrique and Andre Gomes on Sunday, Pique had a message: “I understand their discontent, but I’m not in agreement with how they expressed it.
“This team and this manager have won eight titles. I find it hard to believe that memories can be so short.
“So [I’d tell them] to come to Camp Nou [for the second leg against PSG], not to stay at home, because if they miss the comeback then they are going to be p—– off.”
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