Laporta doesn´t have my number – Luis Enrique not interested in Barcelona return

Luis Enrique has no interest in replacing Ronald Koeman at Barcelona while he is still under contract as Spain head coach.

Koeman is under growing pressure at Camp Nou following Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Benfica, which makes it back-to-back defeats for Barca to begin a Champions League campaign for the first time ever.

The Catalan giants have now won just one of their past five matches in all competitions ahead of Saturday’s trip to reigning LaLiga champions Atletico Madrid.

According to reports from Spain, Barca chiefs will consider replacing Koeman during the upcoming international break should they fall to another defeat this weekend.

Luis Enrique is rumoured to be one of the club’s top choices to take over should Koeman leave, but the former Blaugrana boss intends to serve the rest of his contract with Spain, which is due to expire after the World Cup in December 2022.

Asked if Barcelona president Joan Laporta had contacted him regarding the position, Luis Enrique said: “I don’t think he has my phone number.

“I’m a coach here for a second time, and it’s my custom to keep my word. I’ll be here until my contract ends, for sure.

“Despite my proud history with that club, I don’t want to get involved in other people’s business.”

Luis Enrique, who won nine trophies across a hugely successful three-year spell in charge of Barca, was speaking at a news conference on Thursday after announcing Spain’s 23-man squad for the upcoming Nations League Finals.

Spain face European champions Italy in next Wednesday’s semi-final at San Siro, with the winners of that match to take on either Belgium or France in the final four days later.

The high-profile match in Milan presents La Roja with a chance to exact some revenge following their penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 semi-finals a little under three months ago.

The Azzurri went on to beat England on penalties in the final and have remained unbeaten in their three World Cup qualifiers since that Wembley triumph.

Roberto Mancini’s men set a new all-time record of 37 matches without defeat in men’s international football with their 5-0 win over Lithuania earlier this month, surpassing the benchmark previously set by Brazil between 1993 and 1996.

“Italy are at their peak and were deserving champions at the Euros,” Luis Enrique told reporters. “They have continued with that streak since then, but the day they lose for the first time is near. 

“We were capable of beating them in the tournament, but we didn’t. This game will demand a lot from us as they are a team of the highest level, which is where we want to be.

“Whichever players I select on the day, I hope it will be another spectacular game.”