Luis Enrique urges Barcelona squad to focus on Granada clash

Andy West 09:48 09/01/2016
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  • Anxious to move on: Luis Enrique.

    Luis Enrique has tried to refocus his Barcelona team on their La Liga title defence as the dust settles on their stormy midweek Copa del Rey encounter with Espanyol.

    Barca put one foot in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 victory at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night, but the aftermath of a bad-tempered affair which saw two Espanyol players sent off has rumbled on.

    Barca striker Luis Suarez will miss next week’s return tie, and the first leg of the last eight, after being hit with a two-game ban for hurling insults at opposing players in the tunnel after the game – a charge his club have already contested.

    Gerard Pique has also, once again, been in the firing line after belittling Espanyol during a post-game television interview, and has responded to criticism for that conduct by posting online a video of Espanyol fans hurling verbal abuse about his family.

    And there is also controversy surrounding Neymar, who was allegedly the victim of racist chants from Espanyol fans during the goalless league draw between the teams last weekend.

    Enrique, speaking before the news of Suarez’s ban was announced, attempted to smooth the storm and turn attentions to this afternoon’s league clash at home to Granada as he said: “The best way to reduce tensions are to not continue talking about them.

    “I live in the present, and the present is Granada. That’s the only thing that interests me.”

    Saturday’s encounter could see Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal make their league bows after debuting in midweek, while versatile Sergi Roberto is back in the squad after recovering from a muscle strain. And Enrique admitted he is freshening up his starting XI in response to the drama of Wednesday’s feisty local derby.

    He said: “It’s an option. After a game of such high emotion, it can affect you and make you think you don’t need the same tension in the next game.”

    He also left the door open to changing Lionel Messi’s right-wing position, adding: “He gives us many options. We just want to have Leo wherever he can make the biggest contribution.”

    Lowly Granada, just two points clear of the relegation zone, would appear to be easy pickings for Barca after losing all 21 of their previous league trips to the Nou Camp. But the Andalusian team gained a morale-boosting victory over Sevilla in their last league outing and Enrique is taking nothing for granted.

    He said: “Granada are an improving team. They need the points, they are defensively good and with Ruben Rochina, Isaac Success and Adalberto Penaranda they have attacking players who are physically strong and attack the space well.

    “It’s an important game for us.”

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