Enrique to leave Barcelona at end of season

FC Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has confirmed he would leave the Spanish football powerhouse at the end of the season.

He said he would leave after his contract runs out in the summer. He was addressing a press conference on Wednesday following Barcelona's 6-1 rout of relegation-threatened Sporting Gijon at the Nou Camp here, reports Xinhua news agency.

Luis Enrique said it was a very difficult decision and "I have thought about a lot, but I think I need to be true to myself and fair to my way of thinking".

The coach said he needed time to rest.

"I will need a rest and that is the main reason. I would like to thank the club for the confidence they have shown in me over my time here," he said, adding "these three years have been unforgettable."

"Luis Enrique has brought us great success and he can still bring us more. The players are motivated to do it, while the club accepts Luis Enrique's decision," Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said.

"He has been a great coach. Now it is time to end his spell in the best possible way," he added.

Luis Enrique has won eight trophies since he took over as Barcelona manager in May, 2014.

--IANS

ajb/vt