Internet Desk: Barcelona boss Luis Enrique hasn’t taken long to already aim his first shot at Real Madrid ahead of the new La Liga season starting from Saturday.
Barcelona begin the campaign as the reigning champions – having won the title for the past two seasons – and will aim once again to be the top team in Spanish football.
Although Real are notably the current Champions League holders, Los Blancos have failed to win the league title since Jose Mourinho led the club in clinching the La Liga title in the 2011/12 season – something Enrique was keen to suggest to before Barça’s first game against Real Betis on Saturday.
“The favourite to win the league is a matter of respect,” Enrique began, “But all [teams] start with the same number of points and there are big clubs who have spent years without winning league titles and are certain to challenge [this season].”
Before the Joan Gamper Trophy win against Sampdoria on August 10, Enrique hadn’t forgotten about his ties to Real having represented Los Blancos for five years before joining Barça.
When asked about the comparisons between the Gamper game against Sampdoria to the 1992 European Cup final – where the Blaugrana beat the Italian club – the Austrian responded: “I don’t remember [the final], you know [I was playing for Real] – it’s best not to compare [the two games].”