Luis Enriques future hangs in the balance: It is not just Barcelonas reputation and the all- important three points that are on the line today against Atlético. Luis Enrique may well need to start filling out job applications if his side fail to get a result. Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu has had enough and does not want the situation to get further out of hand. Luis Enrique is under the cosh and his continued presence in the dugout depends entirely on the immediate results which he is capable of producing and the reaction of the fans. It is a question of time and he is running smack into the most in-form opponents in the league. The managers team are in revolt and his biggest star is throwing his toys out of the pram. The problem is not just the complete breakdown in relations with Lionel Messi - other heavyweights are also questioning his management, whether based on his treatment of the players or tactical issues. Atlético are enjoying completely the opposite dynamic. They have put the harsh defeat by Villarreal in December behind them with league wins over Athletic at San Mamés and Levante at the Calderón. And just in case they needed a further boost, they enter this game on the back of a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Real with an XI riddled with fringe players. Not even the absence of top dogs of the likes of Koke, Juanfran, Tiago, Arda Turan and Mario Mandzukic - who return to the line-up today - could take the edge off Atletis thirst for victory. They surely smell blood and will look to gatecrash the Camp Nou the way they did last season in both La Liga and the Champions League.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 10:16:13 +0000