- Title: Messi contract talks put Luis Enrique at ease before Osasuna trip
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (DECEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) BARCELONA PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH MIDFIELDER ARDA TURAN ON TRAINING PITCH STRIKER LUIS SUAREZ ON TRAINING PITCH MIDFIELDER ANDRES INIESTA ON TRAINING PITCH FORWARD LIONEL MESSI ON TRAINING PITCH PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH STRIKER LUIS SUAREZ ON TRAINING PITCH VARIOUS OF PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH GOALKEEPER MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN ON TRAINING PITCH VARIOUS OF PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH COACH LUIS ENRIQUE ARRIVING TO NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM LUIS ENRIQUE DRINKING WATER FROM A BOTTLE JOURNALISTS / LUIS ENRIQUE JOURNALISTS ATTENDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "He would join the list of players that already renewed their contracts with Barca and want to remain being part of the 'cule' family. The day the club notifies his renewal, if that happens, then we'll celebrate all together." MESSI ON TRAINING PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "Osasuna need points tomorrow but we also need the points most of all because we are second and six points behind the leader, so we also have the need and this is not an ordinary game, points are very important this week." PLAYERS ON TRAINING PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, SAYING: "We have a margin because we still have a lot of matches in front of us but obviously the leader has more margin than the others behind. The only chance we have to push the leader is winning our matches. There's still a lot of time until the season ends." LUIS ENRIQUE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 17:54
- Keywords: Barcelona Spain La Liga Osasuna Luis Enrique
- Location: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- City: BARCELONA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Reuters ID: LVA0015C5UJPB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona coach Luis Enrique's mind has been put at ease by news his talisman forward Lionel Messi has begun contract negotiations with the La Liga champions, he said on Friday (December 9).
The player's father and agent Jorge Messi flew from Argentina to Barcelona on Thursday to begin discussions on a renewal of Messi's current deal, which runs out in June 2018.
"He would join the list of players that already renewed their contracts with Barca and want to remain being part of the 'cule' family. The day the club notifies his renewal, if that happens, then we'll celebrate all together," told coach Luis Enrique a news conference ahead of league match against Osasuna.
Champions Barcelona are aiming for a first win in four league games, at strugglers Osasuna on Saturday (December 10), after thrashing Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-0 in the Champions League in midweek.
Osasuna are bottom of the standings with seven points but Barca have often struggled when playing the Navarrans away from home, winning only three of their last nine league visits to El Sadar.
Luis Enrique said the game was even more important to his side than others after failing to beat Real Madrid in last week's Clasico.
"Osasuna need points tomorrow but we also need the points most of all because we are second and six points behind the leader, so we also have the need and this is not an ordinary game, points are very important this week," said Luis Enrique.
Consecutive draws with Malaga, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid leave Barca six points behind Zinedine Zidane's La Liga table toppers but Saturday's early game gives them a chance to put pressure on their rivals, who host Deportivo La Coruna later on Saturday.
"We have a margin because we still have a lot of matches in front of us but obviously the leader has more margin than the others behind. The only chance we have to push the leader is winning our matches. There's still a lot of time until the season ends," he told to journalists.
Real will fly out to Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup after playing Deportivo, meaning Barca will play one more game than their rivals before the winter break. If Barca beat Osasuna they will have the chance to cut the gap to three points next week.
The Navarrans held Barca to a goalless draw the last time they played at their El Sadar stadium and beat them 3-2 in 2012 when the Catalans were coached by Pep Guardiola.
Neymar is suspended for the trip to Pamplona and is likely to be replaced by Arda Turan, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 Champions League win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Tuesday. French defender Jeremy Mathieu will miss the match due to an injury. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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