FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique refused to disclose his club’s plans for the upcoming winter transfer window ahead of his side’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen in Matchday 6 of the UEFA Champions League.
Luis Enrique’s men head into tonight’s match as the leaders of Group E with 13 points from 5 matches and have been assured qualification. Bayer Leverkusen need to win on Wednesday and hope AS Roma fail to beat BATE Borisov in the other group match.
FC Barcelona were given a 2 window transfer ban last December after being found guilty of “international transfer of minors”. Enrique signed Sevilla right back Aleix Vidal and Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan in the summer. They will be eligible to dorn the famous Barcelona jersey after January 1, 2016.
Barcelona have also been linked with Celta Vigo winger Nolito, although Enrique has moved quickly to rubbish those rumours.
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Luis Enrique Remains Coy Over Barcelona’s January Transfer Activity
Speaking to the media ahead of his side’s Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen, Enrique maintained his silence over Barcelona’s transfer activity in the upcoming January transfer window.
“You will have to excuse me,” Luis Enrique said (via ESPNFC). “I have a rule that I do not make public my conversations with the club staff. It is not my style and would not be logical.”
Asked to explain his decision over not making any substitution in last Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Valencia, Enrique revealed, “If I have to give a message, I speak with el presi. At Valencia I understood that there was no option to improve on what I was seeing. I liked what I was seeing. I saw the game under control. To make changes just to make changes is nonsensical.”
Asked to comment on the situation in the group in general, Enrique said, “We will go out there and look for the win and enjoy a top quality match. he situation [in the group] affects our opponents more than us. I have seen teams under pressure sweep away sides but I have also seen teams who cannot take that kind of burden.”
Luis Enrique: “Ter Stegen, Bravo, Masip all have quality to be Bar a keepers and they play according to performance” pic.twitter.com/XN3zcXtznm
a FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 8, 2015
Winter Transfer Window will provide relief to Barcelona’s overstretched squad
Barcelona have performed admirably in the face of adversity since the beginning of 2015. With the transfer ban that was imposed them last December, the Catalans have been forced to play with the same squad for the last one year. Although Luis Enrique’s men won the coveted treble last summer and have blown away opponents in the first half of this season, their squad has been stretched to the limit.
Players such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha, Jordi alba, Claudio Bravo, etc. have all spent spells on the sidelines since the beginning of the season due to injury. In this light, the addition of Vidal, Turan and other incoming players in the winter transfer window will provide a much needed relief to Barcelona’s overworked and tired squad.
