Comment: It's not disrespectful to criticise Barça boss Luis Enrique
Xavier Ortuño explains why it's important to highlight the good and bad of Lucho
Against Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona were beaten on the scoreboard, in attitude and in style. But it seems like it’s a sin to say that Barça have lost that style that connected with the soul and gave satisfaction at the end of each encounter -- and also during the process of winning each game. Something has changed on the pitch and to see players that used to enjoy having the ball at their feet running to get it back from others removes something inside.
It also seems like it’s prohibited to criticise Luis Enrique. However, it’s Luis Enrique that plans these games, who prepares the team and who draws up the tactics and the lineups. The Asturian coach and his coaching team have been recognised for the way they get their players in shape, their brilliant work from set plays and for their motivation skills. Now it’s time to say that the coach has not been able to make the most of the midfield despite the players he has.
Let us point out that watching players like Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta suffer in the middle of the pitch does a lot of damage. Or let us suggest that when counter-attacks go from being an option to the only option it generates, for us, a short circuit in the pituitary of good football. Luis Enrique fans seem to have managed to implement a strange equation: what is not praise is instead someone throwing a weapon. And not just at the coach, but also in the direction of the board, which in turn ends up damaging the badge.
To talk about the good or bad of a manager is not to show a lack of respect. It’s part of our work. A lack of respect is what Luis Enrique showed to Victor Malo in a press conference last season or to Jordi Grau in Paris.
