Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has spoken about the appointment of Tata Martino and Luis Enrique and the signing of Luis Suarez.
Zubi appeared on Esport3, with his comments reported by AS, including those on Lionel Messi and the prospect of the forward setting a new La Liga goals record.
On the subject of Enrique, Zubi praised the way the Coach has settled in on the Barca bench.
“He’s done well in meeting our philosophy. His teams play similarly but it’s his game and not someone else’s,” the former goalkeeper said.
“The team want to be protagonists, to attack and be protagonists. The idea [of Barca’s style] isn’t disputed, it develops.
“New players bring other ideas and movement. It’s necessary to look at what new challenges arise from our rivals. We’re learning in that process.
“My job is to get ahead of things that might happen. Luis Enrique was at Celta Vigo and had the right profile. He has done since Barca B.”
Enrique replaced Martino at the end of the season, the current Argentina Coach spending a single year in Catalonia, with Zubi giving some insight into the decision to hire Martino and why it didn’t quite work out.
“He was trying to settle in during a difficult, emotional situation,” Zubi said, with Martino replaced Tito Vilanova, who had to step down due to ill health and passed away during last season.
“We were in transition and Tata was caught in the hurricane. With him it was more open than with others. He discussed things that others didn’t dare to.
“I’ve not spoken to him but I’m sure a day will come when he’s back at Camp Nou. It wasn’t a lost year.
“The decision to hire him was mine, as decisions at the club are. He had conversations with [now-President Josep Maria] Bartomeu and I was there at all times.”
Regarding Suarez, Zubi said he hopes the former Liverpool forward is ready to play against Real Madrid at the end of the month, but insisted it was the Coach’s choice.
Suarez is approaching the end of a four-month ban from competitive action after he bit Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup match between Uruguay and Italy.
“Hopefully Enrique can have everyone at Santiago Bernabeu. But so far we have gotten good results without him all season,” Zubi noted.
“The Coach will pick who he thinks will win. Remember, he returned from his previous suspension against Manchester United.
“Suarez is calm. He’s aware of what he has to do and to do it normally. We don’t want a great history of this.
“The work has to be done and done calmly. He’s playing for Uruguay. Hopefully they do well and he is calm.”
