Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has backed new Blaugrana
attacker Luis Suarez to soon be among the goals.
Suarez shared the Golden Shoe as Europe's top scorer last
season when at Liverpool, but has scored just once in his first
seven games since joining Barca for 80 million euros,
After missing two more good chances in Sunday's 1-0 La Liga
win at Valencia, and also having a goal ruled out for offside,
the Uruguay international himself admitted that the poor run
was weighing on his mind.
However, the Blaugrana coach told a news conference ahead
of Wednesday's Copa del Rey last-32 first leg game at third-
tier Huesca that he was sure Suarez would soon have better
luck in front of goal.
"There are players of pure instinct," Luis Enrique said. "Luis
Suarez is bringing a lot to the team. He is a different type of
player, of the penalty box, who makes things difficult for
defenders. He has not had much fortune in front of goal, but
that is not so important. I have no doubts he will go on scoring
goals."
Luis Enrique would not say whether Suarez would start at
Huesca's El Alcoraz, however he did admit some lesser-used
squad players would get a chance to impress.
"That would be the logical thing," he said. "This game could
serve to see those players we are not used to seeing. It gives a
chance for those who have not had so much playing time. To
have 20 players who could be first team starters is a utopia."
Those who come in could include third-choice former B team
goalkeeper Jordi Masip, full-back Martin Montoya,
midfielder Sergi Roberto and young attackers Sandro
Ramirez and Munir El-Haddadi. Right-back Douglas, who
has featured little since joining in a deal worth 5.5 million
euros last summer from Sao Paulo, could also feature.
"Douglas is another player in the squad," Luis Enrique said.
"We all know that it is always difficult for South American
players to adapt in their first year in Europe. He must do
more and improve in some aspects to help us. He is on that
path."
The former Roma and Celta Vigo coach said he did not want
to criticise referee David Fernandez Borbalan, who booked
Lionel Messi in Sunday's game at Mestalla for time wasting,
even though the official later wrote in his official match report
that Messi had been hit by a bottle while celebrating Sergio
Busquets' injury-time winner.
"I will not get into judging the referee's decisions because that
is very difficult," Luis Enrique said. "They make decisions in
milliseconds. It could be seen as wasting time. The report
explained the situation... it was water under the bridge."
Luis Enrique was less keen to comment on a claim in Sport
that Barca's jersey for the 2015-16 season would feature
horizontal stripes rather than the traditional vertical design.
"I have not seen it, truthfully," he said. "We will wait and
see what it is like, and judge it later."
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