Luis Enrique: «What most excites Culé fans is beating Real Madrid»

Speaking ahead of the Clásico, Luis Enrique said that his team are not going to change the way they play because they are facing Real Madrid: «That would be ridiculous. They could either wait for us to come at them or seek to get possession, and there’s only one ball. The best way of winning is to keep it ourselves.»

Luis Enrique was asked to explain the importance of this game for the league and just how special it will be with the tribute to Johan Cruyff, and he had no doubts about it : «Cruyff would want us to win by putting on a good show. We have to go into the game with just the right level of motivation, because if we’re over-excited… What I can say is that it’s not going to be decaffeinated. The difference in points doesn’t matter, and nor does the fact that they could close in on us or that we could half sew up the title. What most excites Culé fans is beating Real Madrid and for that reason we’re thinking only about the Clásico itself, I want the Camp Nou filled to overflowing and with a crazy atmosphere. Our fans always get behind us, but tomorrow I want it even more.»

The Barcelona manager played down the importance of the long journeys some of his players have had to make owing to being on international duty: «This kind of game generates so much energy that I am not worried about tired players. I’ve seen it in Messi’s face and the way the other players look, they are really up for it and itching to play. Leo is just one goal shy of 500 as a professional, that’s a stat from another galaxy. There are players who would never get to that figure even if they counted the ones they score in training.»

Enrique also had no doubts when asked about who will have most influence on the result: «It’s not a game for tridents, not for the ‘BBC’ or the ‘MSN’. The forward lines need to be fed good balls and then they will need help to press better. A Barcelona-Real Madrid match, in my opinion, is more about teams as a whole.»