The club's fifth and so far last Champions League, the second treble in its history, nine titles in total.
It is an understatement to say that Luis Enrique had a brilliant stint at the helm of FC Barcelona, between 2014 and 2017. In three years, the Spaniard has written his name in the long and rich history of the Catalan club.
The current PSG coach will cross paths with Barça again, on the other sidelines this time, during the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Rafael Yuste, the vice-president of the Blaugranas, was full of praise for the Spaniard this Thursday at the microphone of Canal + after the draw: “Luis Enrique is a great person, and in plus a great coach.
He knows everything about FC Barcelona.
What can I say about him… I’m not going to wish him good luck!
But he's a great coach, I'll say hello to him.
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Luis Enrique took charge of the Catalan club in 2014, after a disappointing spell for “Tata” Martino.
For his first year on the FC Barcelona bench, the Spaniard gives the team some momentum.
Former Blaugrana player between 1996 and 2004, he relies on the club's tactical precepts.
But he also gives a lot of freedom to his offensive trident, perhaps one of the most spectacular ever lined up on European lawns.
It is made up of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
In December 2015, he was asked about the trio's place in football history: “At FC Barcelona, I think they are the best.
I could even say in the history of football, since seeing players with this individual ability, who score so many goals and who play together to score, has never existed in any other team.
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FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for Paris Saint-Germain!
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First leg match at Parc des Princes.
🔴🔵#UCL #UCLDraw pic.twitter.com/W6pAvl6xdG
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) March 15, 2024
The outcome of the 2014-2015 season is glorious for Luis Enrique and his family.
They won the Spanish Championship, the National Cup and the Champions League.
This is the second treble in the club's history, after the one won in 2009. At the time, Pep Guardiola coached the Catalans.
During his next two seasons at the head of Barça, Luis Enrique's team no longer dominated as much.
But the team still collects trophies: another Liga (2016), two Copa del Rey (2016, 2017), a Spanish Super Cup (2016), a European Super Cup (2015) and a Club World Cup ( 2015).
Of the thirteen competitions played on the Barcelona bench, he won nine.
On the bench during the “Remontada”
His visit was also marked by a night that remained in Parisian memories.
On March 8, 2017, after losing 4-0 in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League at the Parc des Princes, Barça overthrew PSG at the Camp Nou (6-1).
This performance entered popular vocabulary under the name “Remontada”.
Never in history has another team overcome such a gap in the European Cup.
At the end of the 2016-2017 season, Luis Enrique leaves FC Barcelona.
He took charge of the Spanish selection a little over a year later.
In 181 matches on the Catalan bench, he acquired 138 wins, giving him the highest win ratio among all the club's coaches (76%).
Earlier in his career, he coached the Blaugranas B team (2008-2011) and took them up to the second division.
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Since his departure, FC Barcelona's results have seriously deteriorated and the club has experienced economic and legal setbacks.
Luis Enrique has not faced the Catalans since his departure, since he coached a national team before PSG.
But the return match will not take place at Camp Nou: in fact, the venue is under construction, and the match will therefore be played at the Montjuïc Olympic stadium.