When Luis Enrique announces his Spain squad for the World Cup on Friday, the football world will be ready for it. This stubborn, single-minded man wants to go against what people think and live to protect his many enemies. We’re talking about something that draws as much criticism and controversy as the cartoon Popeye who grew muscles after eating a box of spinach.
So when Spain’s coach read out the 26 selected names, everyone was on the edge of their seats as to whether the brilliant but injured Ansu Fati was left out. from the last team, to travel to Qatar, if the Spanish coach and 36- Sergio Ramos reconciled the year, and if he will upset Real Sociedad by threatening Mikel Oyarzabal although he did not Play the first one from March?
But there is a new frisson, which will tempt you if you want the future of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, ​​​​​​PSG, Manchester City, Liverpool or one of the elite teams of the first mind of Europe. Because the last group of Spain is easily read by “Lucho”.
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Given how well he did in directing La Roja – the semifinalists in Euro 2020, the finalists in the 2021 Nations League, once in the last four of the 2023 Nations League semifinal next June – and with limited resources, many fans and spectators and around Spain thinking this is not the case. the beginning of the extension adios. But the truth is, this talent, leader and brutal 52-year-old was not recorded with the Spanish FA at the end of the World Cup.
All attempts to renew his contract were rejected. Meanwhile, Spanish football pundits are suggesting that Atleti will be tempted to try and reverse the decline of Diego Simeone’s reign by asking Luis Enrique if he wants to return to football. club when he finishes his work in Qatar.
It came to a head a few days ago, when Real Madrid, Valencia and club goalkeeper Santiago Canizares said on the radio: “Maybe the best thing for ‘Cholo’ ‘ [Simeone] and Atletico have their ways to separate – or to stagnate. They haven’t played good football for two seasons. One name comes to mind, with the style to keep Atleti, and that is Luis Enrique. “
Also, I see a LaLiga-winner, European Cup finalist with a great Barca past who believes that if Luis Enrique is returning to club football, then Barcelona president Joan Laporta will have a problem important to look at that The player and coach Camp Nou will strengthen one of his enemies, or he will strike first by hiring him again.
The opposite is now that the coach of Spain enjoys a very good life: the good time with the family in his Mediterranean village, the ability to pursue his closest journey to stay healthy, slim, healthy and competitive, balanced with the rhythms of intense football activity. he can throw all his energy into a project without the daily, weekly, and monthly wear and tear of senior coaches.
However, his Spanish team – heavily dependent on the Barcelona midfield of Gavi, Sergio Busquets and Pedri – will compete against Costa Rica, Germany and Japan in the group game in Qatar, the fact that there is a “best defense. net” the opportunity to win a goal in June against Croatia, Italy or host the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League next year.
It’s easy to imagine Luis Enrique renewing his contract until then or even longer, but naming clubs will allow him to leave without pay if they offer him a time to become a teacher. What does this mean? Simply put, any team that wants his services, either immediately or for the 2023-24 season, will have to compete for the position now.
The last words on this subject, from the Spanish FA President Luis Rubiales, were not encouraging. It seems that he is preparing to put his will – or his money – into the position as he did with Julen Lopetegui in the days before Spain’s start in Russia at the 2018 World Cup. Cup.
Rubiales told a radio show: “[Luis Enrique] may or may not exist. And it may be his decision or ours [the FA] decision. It’s part of football and he understands if it’s our decision, just like we understand if it’s his decision. “
Now, I’m not an agent or a labor lawyer, but what Rubiales said was a far cry from “we want him to stay, he needs to know how important he is to us…we’ll look for a way to turn him on. stay…”
Pep Guardiola may be preparing to start an explosive and long journey at Manchester City now that he knows he is about to enjoy a second “Messi-esque” thanks to Erling Haaland.
Although Lionel Messi and Haaland have no physical similarities and different playing styles, what connects them is their magical ability to take games away from opponents. Why wouldn’t you want to surf two big winning seasons on that wave? However, if Guardiola wants to fulfill one of his dreams, coaching Brazil (or England) to win the World Cup in 2026, there is no better candidate to take his original role and expand it. before Luis Enrique.
Attitudes, mentality, football philosophy, and the unwillingness to promote and trust in talent regardless of age: there are many things about Guardiola and Luis Enrique, Barca’s former teammates.
Who knows who will sell to Liverpool, how quickly, or what Jurgen Klopp thinks about the changing of the guard? But when Klopp chooses to take his much-discussed sabbatical and travel the world with his wife Ulla, Luis Enrique will once again be a good candidate there.
Studying Spain is an important part of the family’s recovery from trauma because after he and his family mourned the death of his daughter, Xana, in 2019, it became the journey to return to his talent and volcanic energy. can’t be ignored. It’s true: he’s a great coach, very skilled in his profession, forward-thinking and someone who always strives to find the smallest limits of improvement in order to play a brand of football.
In the past, he told me: “For my teaching the most important idea is ‘attack.’ When my staff and I select a team, we first look at what our players can offer in attack. My teams attack in a very clear way, well positioned when lose the ball, we can force the opponent and win again.
“The third important concept is ‘ambition.’ It means that my team plays with the same attitude as what they are, everywhere, every score. We attack and defend every game. playing against friends fight and decide the competition.”
If he’s reading this, he’s going to be shocked. None of this topic he wants to get in the way of Spain to punch (perhaps above) their weight in Qatar next month, to return us to his campaign.
It’s been a year since some Madrid press mocked him when he included 17-year-old Gavi in ​​the Nations League squad to face European champions Italy. I heard some journalists talking, after the manager’s press conference, and they really thought that the Spanish coach was talking about choosing a kid with the least amount of first team of Barcelona outside the protest and provoked the media ‘anti-Lucho’.
They are wrong, and it is very bad. Currently, Gavi has 12 national team titles and is an important part of Spain’s World Cup campaign. Could something similar happen this time around?
Then there’s Ramos. There was a time when the former captain of Madrid became a statistic, surpassing his 180 captains and his number of unbeatens. Luis Enrique thought the world of Ramos as a defender, as a captain, as a professional footballer. Men don’t act like those “love-ins,” but this is the best.
Ramos told Luis Enrique ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Kosovo in March 2021 that he was fit and fit to go as a sub. He played the last four minutes of the 3-1 win, returning to his club with an injury, missing several weeks for Madrid and Luis Enrique felt as if the wool had been pulled on above his eyes; The defender has not featured for Spain since then.
Now he is fit and playing well for PSG, though La Roja A lot of left-footed people have a central back, but not the right-footed partner they need. Before PSG’s match against Juventus in a Champions League match, Ramos said “everyone knows how much playing for my country is for me: I think it’s fair and good, but it’s in the manager.”
Will Luis Enrique forgive Ramos, recall him and reinstate him as captain? It’s loud, and that’s what it should be: there’s no gray area with two men of that kind coruscating.
Please keep this record safe. In Euro 2020, Spain has scored twice in five, conceded the tournament’s own goal, won a crucial penalty shootout and lost one. In the last World Cup, they defeated the champions of Europe and scattered the house of world champions. Luis Enrique is not, and will never be, aggressive or cheerful. His players respect him and are so loyal that even if it’s his last match against Spain then, win, lose or draw, he’s going to be hot.
