The difference in Barcelona manager Luis Enrique speaking about Real Madrid in 1991 and 2017

What’s the story?

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique tried to defuse, or added fuel to the fire (depending on point of view), the situation created by Gerard Pique pointing fingers at Real Madrid and the capital club’s values when he said:

"I'm much more radical than Pique so it is perhaps better that I don't talk," he told reporters ahead of the Blaugrana's clash with Granada. "You can interpret that as you wish.”

Anything more radical than arguably the most outspoken Catalan... well that’s surely fuel-to-the-fire material.

In case you didn’t know

Luis Enrique played for Real Madrid for nearly 5 years and made 213 appearances for Los Blancos in which he scored 18 goals and became a pivotal part of the midfield.

Then in 1996, he moved over to Barcelona for whom he played 300 times and scored a quite remarkable 109 games in all competitions. Most experts agree that his best form was with Catalans, and that goal tally seems to be tangible proof of that.

The heart of the matter

While Luis Enrique seems to dislike the very mention of Madrid these days, back when he signed for the club in 1991, it was quite another matter altogether.

"To join Real Madrid is a dream," the Asturian told Spanish publication Marca on July 2 1991. "It is worth it to come to this team even though it is 15% less of the transfer than had I gone to Barcelona. I won't say if it was an economically better offer, but I am proud to be at Real Madrid because this is where I wanted to be.”

He, in fact, seemed to take pride in becoming a Madrid player and apparently had even accepted a pay cut for the same!

He’s been in the news before for his see-saw stance on the issue, having said as a player –

"I have always been a Barcelona supporter- Sporting Gijon first, and then Barcelona," he said. "After leaving Real Madrid, I called my brother and told him 'now we really are going to enjoy ourselves. When seeing myself on playing cards, I didn't recognise myself in the Real Madrid white.

What Next?

Relations between Luis Enrique and Real Madrid have been bitter ever since the transfer, and while his unusual restraint in commenting further on Pique’s remarks may have soothed the issue for now, it is anybody’s guess what he might have in store before the end of the season.

Author’s Take

It is never nice when a high profile personality spews hatred and incites division amongst fans, and while Luis Enrique did not indeed say much, saying that he was more radical than Pique was surely a statement aimed at Madrid’s direction as the build-up continues to one of the most eagerly awaited clasicos of all time. Meanwhile, his see-sawing of comments is merely a reflection of the position he is in... but it is the radical nature of comments – dismissing Barcelona while signing for Real Madrid and doing the exact opposite when signing for Barcelona – that is slightly worrisome.