Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 6y

Ex-Barcelona boss Luis Enrique: Management offers would have to excite me

Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has said he has had several offers to return to management but a proposal must "excite" him if he is to be lured back.

Luis Enrique has been on a sabbatical since leaving the Camp Nou when his contract expired last summer.

Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have both been reported to have an interest in him, with respective coaches Antonio Conte and Unai Emery both expected to leave their posts at the end of the season.

Luis Enrique, 47, said he would like to coach Spain one day, but acknowledged that was unlikely to happen because of Julen Lopetegui's success in the role.

"Coaching the national team would be great," he told former cyclist Ibon Zugasti's YouTube channel. "But we've got Lopetegui right now, who is doing a brilliant job.

"There has been interest from clubs, but it has to be something that really excites me. There's no other club where I'll be able to work with better players than at Barca."

Luis Enrique said he had no regrets about leaving Barcelona after three draining years in charge.

"Maybe a lot of people in the profession were surprised," he added. "It's difficult to understand someone leaving Barca, with the best players in the world.

"But I was very clear [that it was the right time]. In fact, I don't regret it all. Coaching Barca involved dedicating all your energy to the team, the club and the players.

"And when you see the end is coming, you have to take it in, accept it and communicate it. There's nothing else you can do."

Luis Enrique took over from Gerard Martino at Barca in 2014 and won the Treble in his first season in charge, leaving in 2017 after having won nine trophies.

The former Roma and Celta Vigo coach had always said he would take a year out after leaving but is likely to return to management in the summer.

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