Legendary Barcelona boss jokes about coaching Real Madrid, revisits the Figo case | OneFootball

Luis Enrique has once again captured the spotlight with his candid remarks in a recent interview with 3Cat.

The Paris Saint-Germain manager reflected on his past affiliations with both Barcelona and Real Madrid, a unique position that has sparked plenty of interest.

While his career with Barça stands as one of glory—both as a player and as a coach—his playful comments about potentially breaking records added a touch of humour to the conversation.

Enrique joked about being the only person to have played and coached at both Barcelona and Madrid, a feat yet to be achieved.

“I don’t think there is anyone in history who has been a player and coach for Barça and Madrid. I can break a record. I’m not going to do it,” he began saying.

“It would be nice. Just kidding, just kidding.”

The Figo case

Luis Enrique also revisited one of the most controversial moments in football history: Luís Figo’s transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid.

Luis Enrique remembered Luis Figo’s move to Real Madrid. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Figo’s move, following Florentino Perez’s rise as Real Madrid president, ignited fierce emotions among Barça fans. Enrique vividly recalled the atmosphere at Camp Nou during Figo’s return in a Real Madrid shirt—a day etched in football folklore.

“The game I experienced the most atmosphere at Camp Nou was the day Figo returned. Figo was like a brother to us. He was our best player and he left for Madrid,” he remembered.

The stadium was electrified, with fans packing the stands an hour before kick-off, creating an almost intimidating energy. Despite the immense pressure, Figo remained Madrid’s standout player that evening.

“I remember commenting to Pep that it was impossible for us to lose. There was an energy that was even scary.”

Enrique highlighted how a young Carles Puyol marked the Portuguese star with sheer tenacity, contributing to Barcelona’s eventual victory. It was a night when emotions ran high, and for Enrique, the energy at Camp Nou made defeat an unthinkable outcome.

“Figo was marked by a very young Puyol, a beast. Figo was Madrid’s best player despite that pressure, which I wouldn’t have imagined there would be, and we won the game because it was impossible not to win it,” he said.

For now, Enrique remains focused on his current endeavours, but his reflections on the past continue to resonate with football enthusiasts everywhere.