Luis Enrique starts to understand his team

Finally Luis Enrique was able to pick the right team for his last match against Elche, he gave some of the reserve players time in the pitch and also debuted two youngsters and allowed the first team to rest for Sunday’s match.

Last time he put Neymar and Messi on the bench was two weaks in San Sebastian but this didn’t work as expected and it was clearly a bad idea from the kick off.

But things changed when facing Atletico Madrid and in a difficult week, the team seem like the can stand up and face everything.

And this is what they will need for the coming weeks, where they will face four difficult matches, facing Atletico two more times in Copa del Rey and Manchester City twice again in Champions League.

Last match allowed Luis Enrique to leave behind at Barcelona his stars, Messy, Neymar and Suarez avoiding a 330 mile travel to the small city of Elche.

Instead Pedro was able to score and put 90 minutes of game play and Adama showed his skill against a top-flight side, even when Elche’s first team weren’t all on the field, but it was a greater challenge than Segunda Division.

At the goalkeeper position, Enrique put Marc-Andre ter Stegen and he showed to the coach that he could be a good replacement to Victor Valdes in the long term, with an excellent ball control and quick mind.

This match was also the debut in the senior team for Gerard Gumbau and Sergi Roberto, and they played as expected and didn’t put a foot out of line, impressive being their debut.

Alen Halilovic had his minutes in substitution of Adama after an hour of game and made also his debut; and he is impressive, with good touches and neat runs and nearly was able to score his first goal in his debut.

Halilovic was the seventh young team player that had his debut in the first team since Luis Enrique has been at the club.

This was a good day for the team and now they will face Deportivo de La Coruña on Sunday with a fully rested first team and in the right direction.

The best Summer Soccer Camp in Mississauga, official programs for kids and youth from FCB Escola Canada. Read More..