Luis Enrique insists his high-flying Barcelona team will leave nothing in reserve as they attempt to clinch the La Liga crown by winning at Atletico Madrid today.
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Boasting a four-point advantage over Real Madrid and with just two games remaining, Barca know that even failure tonight would leave them with the opportunity to
secure the title by beating relegation-threatened Deportivo La Coruna at home next weekend.
With his team also through to the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, Enrique is keen for his team to claim their first piece of silverware as soon as possible.
“This is the first time the league title has been within our reach and that is extremely motivating,” he said. “We don’t want it to slip away from us.”
Ironically, today’s trip to the Vicente Calderon comes exactly a year to the day since Atletico pipped Barca in last season’s La Liga title race with a final day draw at the Nou Camp.
But Enrique does not see this evening’s encounter as an opportunity for his team to get their own back by doing exactly what Atletico did and winning the title in their opponent’s stadium.
“I don’t see anyone out for revenge,” he said.
“Atletico were deserved champions last year after enjoying a spectacular campaign.
“It’s just the way the fixtures calendar has worked out.”
He is fully aware that his team could achieve something truly special in the next three weeks, which will see them contest the Spanish Cup final against Athletic Bilbao in a fortnight before their European showdown against
Juventus on June 6 at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
[VIDEO] @3GerardPique Chance to win treble doesn’t come around often http://t.co/q6NHEaY1qk
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 16, 2015
Enrique is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning team of 2008/9, and he said: “We’re aware that we could achieve something which has only happened once before in club history.
“But we are also aware that we have a long way to go yet and that it is going to be extremely difficult.
“It’s fantastic to have arrived in this situation but we have three huge matches to get through.”
The Barca chief is also determined to focus on his own team’s task rather than hoping that Real Madrid lose at Espanyol – which would hand Barca the title irrespective of their own result.
Asked for his opinion on the uncertainty surrounding the future of Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti,
Enrique showed his utter disregard for the Bernabeu club’s trials and tribulations by firmly stating: “I don’t have one.”
Today’s opponents Atletico have plenty of incentive themselves, knowing that victory would secure third place and therefore give them a route straight into next season’s Champions League group stage rather than having to progress through a play-off.
Manager Diego Simeone has repeatedly stated that finishing third is his team’s major goal for the season, and he insisted they will not make life easy for Barca to claim the title tonight.
“It is an opportunity to achieve our objective,” he said.
“We will have to fight for every ball and every millimetre as though it were the last.”
The Argentine boss is highly respectful of Barca’s capabilities, however, providing a good-humoured response when asked to outline the league leaders’ strengths.
“They are such a strong team,” he teased. “They have so many qualities there is a lot I could say, but it’s better if I just shut up.”
