Barcelona appoints Luis Enrique as head coach

Barcelona have announced that they have officially appointed Luis Enrique as the club's coach, replacing the recently departed Tata Martino. The contract between Barca and Enrique is for a period of 2 years.

Now 44, Enrique played as a midfielder for Barca for eight years, playing 300 matches and scoring 109 goals for the club after moving from Real Madrid in 1996. He also achieved significant success as a coach when leading Barca's youth team.

Barca's board of directors has decided to bet on Enrique to bring the 2012-2013 Liga champions back to the winning track after their first trophyless season in six years, which forced Tata Martino to leave after just one season in charge.

Barca said Enrique will sign a two-year contract and will be officially unveiled tomorrow (21/5/2014). Along with Luis Enrique, Barca announced that 22-year-old goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen will also sign a contract with them after moving from Borussia Moenchengladbach. He comes here to replace Victor Valdes as Barca's number 1 goalkeeper.

Ter Stegen has been Moenchengladbach's number one goalkeeper for the past three seasons and has played four times for Germany. Also leaving Barca is reserve goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto. Barca will welcome back two players they sent out on loan, Rafinha Alcantara and Gerard Delofeu.

Luis Enrique once led Barca B back to the Second Division Liga, then moved to coach AS Roma and then returned to Liga as coach of Celta Vigo. Barca's board hopes that this skillful and agile former midfielder will rebuild the team with a beautiful, effective and attacking style of play.

According to Thethaovanhoa.vn