Luis Enrique: Leaving Now Is The Right Decision

Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique feels that leaving the team now is the correct decision for him and the team.

The Copa Del Rey final was the last match of the 2016-17 FC Barcelona season. It was played at the Vicente Calderon the now former home of Atletico Madrid. In addition to that, it was the finals match for now former Barca manager Luis Enrique. The team sent him out in grand style defeating Alaves 3-1 to life the trophy for the third straight season. For Lucho, it was his ninth trophy out of a possible 13 in the three seasons that he’s been the manager. However, most of that success came in the first two years of his tenure.

This season has seen Barcelona not win the La Liga title or the Champions League. To many fans, this is deemed a failure of a season. The fans seek revenge next season and that will come under the direction of a new manager. Former Athletic Club boss Ernesto Valverde will take over the team after 6 seasons in Bilbao. In each of the last four seasons, his team finished in the top 7 of the league table. That’s quite impressive for a team like Athletic Bilbao. He’ll now look to continue the success at Barcelona.

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Luis Enrique feels like the time is right to begin the next chapter of his life. That is why he chose to leave the team. He needed to take a hiatus from coaching to clear is head. He feels that the team should go in another direction. With Valverde as the new manager, the team can now adjust to new things. Here is what Lucho had to say about leaving the team after three seasons as the top man.

"“I don’t feel bad leaving: there is no sadness, just total joy. I’m the one who decided that it’s best to stop now. It’s the right time for me and for the players. Due to the intensity with which you have to live this profession, there’s a lot of wear and tear, so it’s not a shame [I’m leaving], it’s the opposite. If someone told me I would win nine trophies out of 13, I would have been delighted. I have received 100 percent from the team and I have given them 100 percent, too. I don’t think anyone can knock me in that regard.”Luis Enrique On His Barcelona Tenure"

Next: Copa Preview: Barca-Alaves

Overall, Luis Enrique did many great things for the team, but now is the time to go in a different direction. Hopefully, Valverde will bring Barca back to its dominant form taking trophies and playing the best football in the world. With Messi, Suarez, and Neymar, any manager can look good. However, it’s up to Valverde to make the right signings this summer so the team can be successful once again.

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