Luis Enrique: "I wouldn't swap anything with Atlético for my team"

Luis Enrique attended the media to look ahead to tomorrow's meeting with Atlético de Madrid - a chance for the Catalans to provisionally knock Real Madrid off top spot in the table.

How have the three meetings with Atlético this season influenced you plans for tomorrow's match?

We have met Atlético many times and they always present difficulties. I think tomorrow's game will be different to the Copa meetings it will be one of those games with a special importance for both teams.

You have said many times that the teams at th top will slip up and we saw that last week with Real Madrid. What effect has that had on your team?

We still have many matches left to play and it's clear that it's very difficult to win all of your games and so the trend will continue in the games which remain.

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Barça's fixtures calendar

You said that thing would change for the better after the Leganés game...

It is one of the circumstances which we have had to deal with since the start of 2017. We are at the end of February and this is the first long week we have had. We have had an incredibly demanding calendar and that takes its toll.

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Signing a full-back

Do you think Barça need to sign a right-back?

I don't usually talk about internal matters which might affect the team's development over the course of a season. These are private matters.

If you could lend some of Atlético de Madrid qualities to your team, what would you do?

I don't need to import anything. I like my team how it is. I would rather exploit the virtues of my team than borrow from elsewhere.

You have often said that when the team wins, the players get the praise but when you lose it's the coach who takes the flak. Football doesn't remember all of the good things a coach does - like, for instance, in Ranieri's case?

There are two news pieces when a coach is dismissed. Sadness for the coach who is on his way out and, happiness for the one coming in. That is the world of coaching.

It's an important weekend for Atlético, and also for Real Madrid. Is this a key weekend in the title race?

No. It's not key at all. But there are some attractive encounters. It could be described as a special weekend but you cannot afford to lose points in any weekend.

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Chance for Barcelona to nudge Madrid off top spot

Barça could go top tomorrow?

Our objective is to put in a good game and come home with all three points.

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