Luis Enrique talks Sevilla and motivation ahead of Cup final

Following his side’s training session, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique spoke to the press on the eve of the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla (Vicente Calderón, 21:30pm CEST).

Feelings ahead of the match?

“This will be the last game of the season. We’re really up for this game and have a chance to add another trophy to the collection. My team are in good shape, we’ve had the chance to train and work on things over the past three weeks. The players are highly motivated”

How have you coped with the long season?

“It’s usually easier to motivate players towards the end of the season. Players hone in on winning titles and are therefore even more motivated”.

Do you expect Sevilla to be exhausted following the Europa League final?

“I have no idea if they’ll be tired or not. What I do remember about what happened with us last summer was that we didn’t have a lot of time between games to recover. We faced that challenge as best we could. Sevilla won in incredible fashion and that will be enough to spur them on ahead of this final. The chance to win the double will egg them on”.

What are your thoughts on Sevilla?

“When a team enjoys success, we shouldn’t be so quick to attribute it to just one person. Unai Emery is one of the best managers in Europe. He deserves huge praise. Sevilla are used to playing in finals now and are experts at turning adverse situations on their head. This will be a toughly contested match regardless of who goes in front. We have to be ready for them”.

‘Estelada’ flags 

"I’m amazed there is so little to talk about in this country. I think they’ve come to the most logical conclusion. Freedom of expression has been respected”.