Luis Enrique favourite for Barcelona job

Luis Enrique is considered the overwhelming favourite to be the next Barcelona manager after Gerardo Martino left the club.

Martino agreed a mutual termination of his contract just one year into it, with a 1-1 draw in Saturday's La Liga title decider against Atletico Madrid seeing the 2012/13 champions end the campaign empty handed.

Enrique is short odds with  1/10 to take the job, having left Celta Vigo on Friday amid Spanish reports that he is poised to return to the club where he spent the last eight years of his career.

Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde, Ajax boss Frank de Boer (both 14/1), Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and Eusebio Sacristan, who is currently in charge of the Barcelona B team, (both 16/1) are considered the alternative candidates.

Paul Wiggins said: "Fully aware of suggestions in Spain that Enrique was being lined up for the job, we opened betting with him as a short-priced favourite but he has still attracted more money than any other candidate.

"Having started his coaching career at Barcelona before taking managerial posts at Roma and Celta Vigo, the Spaniard seems to have the right blend of experience for the role, especially after seeing Celta significantly overachieve."

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Tata Martino : Messi wont leave Barca

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino claims there is no way Lionel Messi will leave the club.

The Argentine star has become embroiled in a dispute with club vice-president Javier Faus after claiming in a radio interview that the Blaugrana director "doesn't understand football."

With speculation rife over whether the player will be offered a new and improved contract, his future at the club has been cast into some doubt, but Martino has made it clear he is not concerned by what he believes is a private discussion between the pair.

"It's not true," he told a press conference when asked whether Messi could be sold next summer.

"Personally I'm concerned with how the team plays. I'm not distracted by these issues which have no relation to football.

"I only want to sit in on footballing matters, to make sure the team plays better, that they win. It seems to me that, as coach of Barcelona, these are the most important things that should concern me.

"I cannot continue on it because I'm not well informed. I don't what the vice-president said, nor what Leo said, as these are specific discussions."

Messi is currently recovering from a hamstring injury in his native Argentina and Martino revealed he plans to visit the 26-year-old during the winter break to check on his progress first hand.

"It's not something that was planned but, for sure, he will be training in Rosario in the days after Christmas, and I will go to see one of these sessions," said Martino. "We are totally informed of his progress."

One player who has committed his future to the club is Andres Iniesta, who has reached an agreement to extend his contract at Camp Nou, and Martino admits the news is massive for the club.

"In the NBA they call players franchises; Iniesta is the same for us. He must be very happy to sign a renewal. We are all very happy."

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Tata Martino criticises Song

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino criticised the performance of Alex Song after his side beat Cartagena 4-1 in the Copa del Rey.

The hosts took a shock early lead but two goals from Pedro, a Cesc Fabregas strike and Jean Marie Dongou's debut goal ensured victory on Friday night.

But Martino was left frustrated by the showing of the former Arsenal man and felt his positional play was out of sorts.

"Playing as a holding midfielder is not the same as playing as half of a midfield pivot pair," he said.

"At times, he did well but other times he was turned inside out and he was having trouble finding a second, alternative option with his passing."

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Zubizarreta: Martino understands Barcelona

Andoni Zubizarreta says that Gerardo Martino's decision to hand Adama Traore his debut against Granadashows he understands Barcelona.

The Blaugrana secured a comfortable 4-0 win at Camp Nou on Saturday through penalties from Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas complemented by strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Pedro, with 17-year-old Traore replacing Neymar in the 83rd minute to make his first senior appearance.

Speaking after the game, Zubizarreta claimed that the introduction of Traore underlines the Barcelona trainer's in-depth understanding of the club and its emphasis on youth development.

"Tata has understood what we are as a club and that when there are injuries, we turn to the younger players," the 52-year-old told journalists after the game.

"Adama is very young, but one thing is that he has been brought up here. Let's not forget that we also had [Martin] Montoya, [Marc] Bartra, Sergi Roberto. This is the new generation with whom we can continue dreaming."

Local-born forward Traore is a Spain Under-19 international and had played only four times for Barcelona B before making his senior bow.

Zubizarreta also praised the performance of goalkeeper Jose Pinto, who stood in for the injured Victor Valdes on Saturday.

"[Pinto] knows what it is to play for this shirt," the former shot-stopper continued.

"He dominates his area and has been strong when needed. He was very good, he gives us peace of mind and demonstrates that he is here because he is at that level required."

Barcelona sit top of La Liga with 40 points from 14 games, three ahead of Atletico Madrid in second.

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