- Title: Barca's Enrique doesn't care about beating Moenchengladbach
- Date: 5th December 2016
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (DECEMBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) BARCELONA PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH FORWARDS LIONEL MESSI AND LUIS SUAREZ ON TRAINING PITCH HEAD COACH LUIS ENRIQUE AND PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH GOALKEEPER MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN ON TRAINING PITCH VARIOUS OF PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH TER STEGEN ON TRAINING PITCH VARIOUS OF PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH LUIS ENRIQUE ARRIVING IN NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM LUIS ENRIQUE DRINKING JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA HEAD COACH LUIS ENRIQUE SAYING: "Coaches are judged by the results, even winning we have been criticised, so let's imagine what it's like when we lose. Tomorrow a victory would be important for the team's spirit, but as far as I am concerned I really don't care about winning, we are at the top of the group." PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "Winning is always the best medicine. In the Champions League we have done almost a perfect job and that's why tomorrow's match is insignificant for the competition, but it is a Champions League match at the Nou Camp and we'll try to deserve a victory." LUIS ENRIQUE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM VARIOUS OF RIGHT BACK SERGI ROBERTO IN NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA DEFENDER SERGI ROBERTO SAYING: "We deserved to score more goals. Against Real Madrid we know we must perform at 100% until the end, because they always have opportunities in the last minutes. The team is energetic with the right attitude to keep going." PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ROBERTO SAYING: "Real Madrid is league leader, but in the Champions League we are head of the group. There's still a long way, the points difference is not so big, certainly this (last) weekend we should have been able to close the gap with Real. Right now, the team is OK, with the right attitude and I think the points gap will close." SERGI ROBERTO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 20th December 2016 14:48
- Keywords: Barcelona Luis Enrique Soccer Champions League Borussia Moenchengladbach
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BLYVCV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique responded to criticism on Monday (December 5) of their worst start to a season in 12 years by saying coaches always get criticised, win or lose.
Barca have drawn four of their past five games in all competitions, failing to beat Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in their last league outings.
They top their Champions League group, however and will host Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday.
Luis Enrique told a news conference on Monday: "Coaches are judged by the results, even winning we have been criticised, so let's imagine what it's like when we lose. Tomorrow a victory would be important for the team's spirit, but as far as I am concerned I really don't care about winning, we are at the top of the group."
He said they would still try to win on Tuesday, when they will be boosted by the return of captain Andres Iniesta after six weeks out with a knee injury.
Right Back Sergi Roberto said Barca deserved to score more goals in the draw against Real Madrid on Saturday.
He also said they would close the six-point gap on the league leaders.
"Real Madrid is league leader, but in the Champions League we are head of the group. There's still a long way, the points difference is not so big, certainly this (last) weekend we should have been able to close the gap with Real. Right now, the team is OK, with the right attitude and I think the points gap will close."
Despite spending around 122 million euros ($128.84 million) on strengthening their squad, Barca have looked vulnerable, partly because key players have been injured.
Neymar and Rakitic are ruled out for the Monchengladbach match due to a ban. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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