‘We’re ready’ – Luis Enrique responds when asked whether he prefers Barcelona or Liverpool in the UCL Round of 16 | OneFootball

Following the conclusion of the play-off round for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League last night, FC Barcelona have got a better idea of whom they can face in the next round of the competition in which they have performed so well up to now.

From among the teams that progressed from the play-off round, the Blaugranes can face one of two rather familiar foes, whom they have already met several times in recent history, i.e., Paris Saint Germain or Benfica.

PSG are clearly looking to be the more dangerous of these two teams, as they thrashed Brest with a 7-0 scoreline last night, and advanced to the Round of 16 with a 10-0 score on aggregate in two legs.

Thus, if they end up being tied against one another this Friday, this match will see two of the most exciting teams in the competition face off against one another. But another factor that will make this tie highly interesting will be the involvement of the former Blaugrana coach, Luis Enrique, who will once again face his former club.

The Spaniard was asked about his preferred opponent for the Round of 16 in a recent media talk, but he refrained from giving a clear answer, and said: “I like both cities, we’re ready.”

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

However, as Mundo Deportivo has noted, the coach would be naturally reluctant to face Barcelona, as he himself had admitted how he suffered playing against his beloved former side in the documentary ‘Luis Enrique: You Have No F****** Idea’. In that publication, the former Spain coach confessed:

“The tie against Barça was horrible. Everything emotional came together—coming back home was a joy, but coming back home against the club that gave me the most as a player and as a coach… A horrible feeling for me, for my children, and for my wife.”

“I hope we don’t have to play them again this season. My goodness! I can’t imagine a final against Barça, no! I think I would melt like a sugar cube. I really hope it doesn’t happen.”

Further talking about his links to the Catalan club, Enrique says in that documentary:

“We had deserved more in the first-leg match and lost, and there was a lot of criticism directed at me, which also reached my family. But my relationship with Barcelona is unique. I feel very loved by both the club and the fans.”

There is no doubt about this latter statement, as Blaugrana fans still recall Luis Enrique’s time at the club with a lot of affection. But, there is also no doubt that a tie against his PSG team will be a highly exciting affair, especially as the Cules will be keen to get revenge on the side that eliminated them in the quarter-final stage last year.