Barcelona chief: We'll 'work with discretion' in manager hunt

Josep Maria Bartomeu says Barcelona’s pursuit for a new manager will be dealt with carefully after Luis Enrique announced he’ll step down at the end of the season following Wednesday’s 6-1 trouncing of Sporting Gijon.

Rumours were rife that Enrique, who admitted he needs a “little time to rest,” would step down in the summer, but the timing of his declaration came as a shock to many of the Blaugrana faithful.

Barcelona’s president, however, intends to take a measured approach in finding Enrique’s successor.

Related: 4 candidates to succeed Luis Enrique at Barcelona

“We will work with discretion, but we will work on it,” Bartomeu promised to Barca TV, with translation from ESPN FC’s Samuel Marsden.

“There are important games coming up and we will try to work quietly.”

Those upcoming commitments include the herculean task of trying to overturn a 4-0 scoreline in the Champions League last-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday, with domestic matches against Celta Vigo and Deportivo La Coruna either side of it.

“We have to accept the manager’s decision and support him,” Bartomeu continued.

“In the summer he communicated to (sporting director) Albert Soler and (technical director) Robert Fernandez that this could be his last year, and the other day he told us that he wouldn’t continue and decided this was the ideal moment to reveal his decision.

“Now we have to focus on the next three months, but Luis Enrique will leave in the summer and we’ve had a super manager for these last three seasons.”

Barcelona now aims to give Enrique, who’s collected seven major titles since taking over in 2014, a glittering send-off. After Real Madrid dropped points in a thrilling 3-3 home draw with Las Palmas later on Wednesday, Barcelona holds top spot in La Liga, albeit having played a game more than its Clasico rival.

Bartomeu was clearly encouraged by the 6-1 hammering of Gijon, though.

“It’s a sad situation because he’s a good coach who has given us success,” he added. “The players are (still) motivated, as we’ve seen. There are three competitions and tomorrow there’s training. We have to keep working until the end of June.”