Luis Enrique says Barcelona have prepared for the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg with Valencia as if they didn’t have a 7-0 lead from the first leg.
Barca routed Gary Neville’s side at Camp Nou and the tie is a foregone conclusion ahead of the return at Mestalla, but Enrique wants his side to be focused and fully prepared regardless.
“We’ve prepared in the same way as if we didn’t have this result. We have to think about what we can do,” he said, AS reports.
“The game is a little strange. Football has these accidents. As it’s a strange result we forget it and want to make sure there are no surprises.
“Going [a club record] 29 games unbeaten isn’t a stimulus we use or will use. The statistics are fine if we’re getting closer to winning trophies.
“I’d love to tell you who will play but this is a game of football, very competitive and I have my policy to do things this way. I don’t like to give clues to a rival.
“This isn’t an easy game. When the game is closer we’ll need to be motivated. I’d love to know what Valencia we’ll find but that’s a question for their Coach. It depends on a lot of factors. We try to anticipate situations but we’ll see.”
It’s been suggested that the Cup Final, likely between Barca and Sevilla, who beat Celta Vigo 4-0 in their first leg encounter, could be at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu.
“I have little interest in where the Final is going to be played,” Enrique replied when asked about the site.
“First you have to qualify. The important thing is there are two goals and somewhere for people to sit.”
Barca will go to the second leg without a number of first team players with Lionel Messi among those rested after treatment for kidney stones, but Enrique declined to comment further on the forward.
“I think there’s a statement by the club that explains what it is and from there the information belongs to the patient and is private,” he said.
