Barcelona manager Luis Enrique congratulated his side for securing first place in a tough Champions League group that included Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach and Scottish giants Celtic.
Barcelona travelled to Scotland to face Celtic at Celtic Park in their penultimate UEFA Champions League group stage fixture. The Catalan giants prevailed by a scoreline of 2-0 courtesy of a brace from Lionel Messi.
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique was visibly upbeat about securing the first spot in the group with one game still left ti play and expressed his delight in the post-match press conference after Wednesday’s win.
? Luis Enrique: “It was a game that we expected. In one of the toughest groups, we have come top. I have to congratulate the team” #FCBlive
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 23, 2016
Group C is definitely one of the toughest groups in the current season of the Champions League. The group includes champions from two nations in Barcelona and Celtic, English powerhouses Manchester City coached by two-time Champions League winner Pep Guardiola, and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Monchengladbach, who have been on the rise in Germany.
The tough nature of the group has been evident in the results. Manchester City inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Barcelona, but the Citizens were then held to draws at Celtic and Borussia Monchengladbach respectively, while Barcelona registered wins in their corresponding games. As such, securing the top spot with one game to go is a noteworthy feat.
Opposition manager Brendan Rodgers, too, had positive things to say about the result and the performance of his side despite the loss. Rodgers said he was satisfied with the visible improvement in the side’s performance.
BR: “How we pressed the game tactically was very good. Won the ball back in high areas & when we couldn’t we were defensively solid.” (MH)
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) November 23, 2016
It would be interesting to see if Luis Enrique gives youngsters like Marlon Santos, who made his Champions League debut on Tuesday at Celtic Park, a chance to impress in Barcelona’s final group game.
