FC Barcelona wants to repatriate Luis Enrique. This is the big trend at the moment in Catalonia, where the name of the former player and coach of the Blaugrana club comes up again and again in the press. Coach of the club between 2014 and 2017 and notably winner of the Champions League in 2015, the former La Roja striker is unanimous. And he is one of the rare coaches mentioned in the media who can count on almost unwavering popular support from the Barcelona community, who are experiencing another rather disappointing season. Very demanding, Catalan supporters believe that Luis Enrique is the ideal choice; and it is shared by a good part of the Blaugrana management and media environment.
Why is Lucho preferred to Flick, Nagelsmann, Alguacil or even Klopp? Well first of all, there is this famous Barça DNA which comes back on the table, again and again. The club’s fans love to see former players take charge of the team, particularly because they know the house’s playing philosophy, and therefore have an easier time implementing a game plan. game based on this famous position game and the principles of Johan Cruyff. Luis Enrique also left good memories, winning a Champions League, two Ligas and three Copas del Rey in just three seasons. A mess of titles, helped by this famous MSN trio, but also much more interesting and flamboyant content in terms of gaming. And yet, at the time it was already receiving some criticism, being accused of relying too much on its individualities , and sometimes being a little too careful.
The strong man Barça is missing
But since then, the coaches who succeeded the current Parisian coach have offered much less attractive football. This is even the case for Xavi, a man who embodies the Barça DNA better than anyone. It is clear that Luis Enrique’s principles are much closer to those of Cruyff or Guardiola, while the current Barcelona coach struggles to put in place an effective and coherent offensive animation. Beyond purely footballing considerations, there is also a question of character and charisma. Luis Enrique is a strong man, a priori capable of transcending a locker room and exploiting the individual talent of each of his players as best as possible. This is also something that has been lacking in recent times.
He is also a man who does not hesitate to step up to the plate in the media, and who defends his team and his club against all odds. He does not hesitate to clash with the press, to the point where he has often been hated by certain journalists, notably those covering Real Madrid news. And that, in Barcelona, is very popular. The only concern for many: his character could cause some friction with Joan Laporta, who likes to have a say in the sporting management of the club, while Josep Maria Bartomeu remained a little in the background. But there is no doubt: if there was a poll currently leaving the Montjuic stadium, Luis Enrique would finish first and with a huge lead.
