Iniesta: Barca still the best

Andres Iniesta has played down the significance of a perceived direct style deployed by Barcelona coach Luis Enrique this season.

Barcelona star Andres Iniesta maintains belief that the Catalan side are the best attacking outfit in football, despite Luis Enrique departing from their classical style somewhat this season.

After a season of relative failure last term, Luis Enrique replaced Gerardo Martino in the dugout and was quickly supplied with attacking reinforcements in Luis Suarez as well as Ivan Rakitic.

The ‘tiki-taka’ possession-based dominance has been diluted this season in an attempt to get Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi into the action sooner.

And Iniesta is confident the switch in style has had little impact on a Barcelona side that has scored 62 goals in just 22 Liga outings this term.

“I don’t know how people see it from outside,” he told Perform. “When we are on the pitch, we just play football. 

“There may be some changes on the style but at the end of the day it’s still football. 

“You train, you prepare yourself to give your best on the field and that’s what I do and I have always tried to do.

“In my opinion my team-mates are the best in the world. I have no doubts about it. 

“Having said that, we need to focus on giving our best and help them to keep up the great level they are showing on the pitch. 

“We need to carry on improving and making our team-mates look better as at the end of the day this is a team sport and we all have the same aims.”

Still at the forefront of Barca’s attack is Messi – the Argentina star has had a hand in 38 of the side’s league goals alone this term – and Iniesta mused at how his superstar colleague continues to baffle even those who know him best.

“It’s very easy to play alongside Messi,” Iniesta added. 

“He still amazes me because only he does what he does on a football pitch and he wants to keep growing and improving every day.  

“He is instrumental for the team and that’s something very little people, nearly nobody, is capable of.”