Luis Enrique now has a happy squad at Barcelona, says Graham Hunter
Monday 9 February 2015 20:53, UK
A more consistent team selection from manager Luis Enrique has been key to Barcelona's upturn in form, according to Graham Hunter.
The La Liga giants have won nine games in a row across all competitions and are just one point behind Real Madrid in the league.
The fluid performances on the pitch are in stark contrast to a month ago when Enrique was part of a media storm over an alleged bust up with Lionel Messi.
Hunter believes the players are finally starting to buy into Enrique’s methods.
“The key thing since winter is there has been eight or nine solid choices every week, they understand the movement, the passing is electric, the confidence has gone up,” he said.
“They’ve simplified the process of rebuilding, the transition we all said they're going through has been made a little bit more easy.
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“There was a division between certain members of the squad and Enrique's manner. That happens all the time. And little by little he has done things that make the squad a little more pleased.”
Hunter also pointed to Enrique's brave decision to cancel a friendly match against an unnamed rival in Qatar last month so his players could have some time off to bond.
The game was part of the club’s sponsorship with Qatari Sports Investment but Enrique went to the club’s hierarchy and demanded the trip was abandoned.
“He cancelled the friendly for their sponsors in Qatar,” Hunter added.
“He went to the club, to the sponsors, the club listened and they said, 'yes we'll cancel it'.
"They sent Pique and Neymar to Qatar to keep them happy. The players got two days off, and Suarez, Messi, their families went tobogganing, everyone relaxed and came back relaxed and on fire. They said, 'boss, thanks'. It's working.”
