- Title: Luis Enrique deserves another title, says Gerard Pique ahead of Kings Cup final
- Date: 26th May 2017
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (MAY 26, 2017) (REUTERS) BARCELONA PLAYERS ARRIVING AT TRAINING SESSION COACH LUIS ENRIQUE MARTINEZ IN TRAINING SESSION ATTACKER LIONEL MESSI ARRIVING AT TRAINING SESSION VARIOUS OF PLAYERS AT TRAINING SESSION ATTACKERS LIONEL MESSI AND NEYMAR IN TRAINING SESSION VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING LUIS ENRIQUE AND HIS STAFF TALKING IN TRAINING SESSION PLAYERS TRAINING GOALKEEPER JASPER CILLESSEN TRAINING VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING DEFENDER GERARD PIQUE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM 13. JOURNALISTS / PIQUE NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA DEFENDER, GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "In the team he (Luis Enrique) has conquered us all, these three years have been magnificent, for the titles we won obviously, because it's complicated if Barcelona doesn't win, but also for many other things. I want him to leave tomorrow with a victory, with another title, he deserves it." PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Catalan) BARCELONA DEFENDER, GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "Tomorrow they (Alaves) have a unique and historic opportunity to win a title and surely that will motivate them. I think we have to match that level of motivation and make use of our technical and tactical ability to win the Cup. It will be a very difficult game and we hope to do things right from the beginning and take control from the beginning." PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA DEFENDER, GERARD PIQUE, SAYING: "I hope the best team wins, in this case you know that I would rather have Juve win, but in the end whoever wins doesn't change anything in our season over these twelve months. We will try next year to obtain our goals and do the best we can." PLAYERS TRAINING LUIS ENRIQUE ARRIVING TO NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM JOURNALISTS / LUIS ENRIQUE NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE MARTINEZ, SAYING: "For Alaves and their players it's a different and unique event that has to excite them a lot, but that also has a double edge because it's a scenario that they are not accustomed to. Surely there will be an excess of tension and on the other hand we are used to playing in many finals. Maybe they are more excited than us, but regarding ambition, I can guarantee that I haven't seen a group of players with more ambition than Barca." PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE MARTINEZ, SAYING: "The titles are of the team and of all the players, and of course of the best player in the world (Lionel Messi). It's a collective sport in which we depend on everyone, it has been a great pleasure to have the best, he's an example of what it means to be a competitor with a huge ambition, a great leader for the team and an example for all his teammates." PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE MARTINEZ, SAYING: "I'll keep everything because keeping only the good things is very easy and keeping only the bad has no meaning. They are enriching experiences on a personal and professional level, testing experiences every day and I did not have to change my modus operandi because it has always been the same since the first day I arrived from Barca B until today, it has always been the same as far as demanding the maximum from myself, giving 100% to those who are with me." PLAYERS TRAINING LUIS ENRIQUE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM
- Embargoed: 9th June 2017 16:07
- Keywords: Spain Soccer Kings Cup Luis Enrique Gerard Pique Barcelona
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016IH7L8F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona defender Gerard Pique on Friday (May 26) has hailed outgoing coach Luis Enrique as one of the club's best managers of all time and called on his side to give him a fitting send off in Saturday's King's Cup final against Alaves.
Barca could win a third consecutive King's Cup under Luis Enrique in the final at the Vicente Calderon, the same stage Pep Guardiola bowed out on as coach in 2012, which would mean a ninth trophy out of 13 competitions entered in his three seasons.
Despite being the club's third-most decorated coach, Luis Enrique has not earned anything like the praise of Guardiola and Johan Cruyff, the two above him in that ranking, and has received plenty of criticism during his tenure for his prickly relationship with the media and for the team's relative inconsistency in his third campaign.
The Cup final is Barca's last chance of a trophy this season after surrendering the league title to Real Madrid and exiting the Champions League at the quarter-final stage. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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