Barcelona Have Handed Luis Enrique An Ultimatum, Says Report

Spanish radio station Cadena Cope is reporting that Barcelona have handed manager Luis Enrique an ultimatum following the firing of the club’s director of football, Andoni Zubizarreta. This news comes on the heels of long-time servant Carles Puyol’s resignation from his role with the club, as well as Barcelona’s 1-0 defeat by Real Sociedad on Sunday night.

Despite Enrique’s side being within striking distance of first place in La Liga, while Real Madrid were embarking on a 12-match winning streak domestically (twenty-two in all competitions), the managers relationship with Barcelona players and tactics have been under constant scrutiny since La Blaugrana were beaten in El Clasico in October.

The Catalan press have continually alluded to Enrique’s poor relationship with star man Lionel Messi, as well as the manager’s inability to nurture Barcelona’s famed youth academy.

Now, according to Cadena Cope, Enrique has been given an ultimatum by club officials following the departures of Zubizarreta and Puyol, and the defeat to David Moyes’ Real Sociedad side.

The radio program is reporting that the Barcelona boss has been told he will be sacked if the club does not win its next two matches against Elche and Atletico Madrid. It is understood that Barcelona officials not only want victories, but improved performances from the squad as well.

The speculation will be hard for most fans to believe since Barcelona only trail league-leading Real Madrid by a single-point (having played one match more than Los Blancos) and finished as Champions League group winners.

But the belief around the Camp Nou is that Barcelona have gotten as far as they have this season on talent alone; and Enrique had failed to communicate properly with his players, lacks man-management skills and has been exposed as a poor tactician.

The manager’s relationship with Messi and the rest of the team appears to be at its lowest point and Barcelona officials have now told the 44-year-old boss to find a way to make it work, or face the sack.

Watch Sky Sports Revista de La Liga discuss Enrique’s immediate future at the club by clicking the link here: Enrique’s job in jeopardy?

Programming note: Barcelona vs. Elche in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 will be shown LIVE on Thursday starting at 3:55pm EST on BeinSPORTS and DishWorld