Run-in does not favour Barca - Luis Enrique

Peter Hanson

Run-in does not favour Barca - Luis Enrique image

Luis Enrique has rejected the notion that Barcelona have a more favourable run-in than Liga title rivals Real Madrid.

Barca are in superb form and a nine-match unbeaten league run has left them two points clear of arch-rivals Real with only five matches remaining.

Four of Barca's remaining games are against teams in the bottom half of the table, while Real still have tricky tests against UEFA Champions League hopefuls Sevilla and Valencia to come.

But Barca coach Luis Enrique is keen not to allow complacency to creep in and is purely concentrating on Tuesday's contest against Getafe at Camp Nou.

"The calendar could be this, it could be that, there's very little difference between [Barca and Real's run-in]," he said. 

"We have to do our thing, which is Tuesday's match. Throughout a season there are many surprises. It would be a mistake to think about this game or that game in the future. We are focused on [Getafe]."

As well as challenging for the league title, Barca are in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and final of the Copa del Rey after failing to win a major trophy last season.

"If you ask me I don't think there are any minimum requirements for what is a successful season," Luis Enrique added. "We are going for everything.

"In order to do that we have to keep going with our season, win our last five [league games] and play the semi-finals [of the Champions League]. The titles will determine what we have achieved at the end of the season."

Barca have been boosted by the return to fitness of Thomas Vermaelen from a long-term hamstring injury, and the centre-back could make his competitive debut for the club on Tuesday.

"He's [Vermaelen] a player just like everybody else in the team," Luis Enrique said. "He needs to train, he needs to get the rhythm. He's not above or below any other player in the team."

 

Peter Hanson