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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu gives Luis Enrique backing

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says that discussions over Luis Enrique's future at the club will take place in April, but is backing the manager to stay.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has backed Luis Enrique to remain in charge of the club beyond the end of the current season.

The 46-year-old's contract expires this summer and reports have claimed that he could step down from his role in order to take a sabbatical from the game.

Performances this season have added to the speculation over his future, with a section of supporters making their unhappiness at the team's progress known during Sunday's narrow 2-1 win over lowly Leganes.

However, despite Barca sitting on the brink of a first Champions League last-16 exit in a decade and trailing Real Madrid in La Liga, Bartomeu insists that he has not thought of a possible replacement for Enrique and will discuss his future in April.

"The priority is still for Luis Enrique to continue. In the last few years, he has won almost all competitions. The Barca supporters are very happy with him," he told Catalan broadcaster TV3.

"We will speak to Luis in April to see how he feels. There is no plan B. He is doing an extraordinary job and now we enter the most important stage of the season."

Enrique has been in charge of Barcelona since 2014, winning the treble in his first season before adding a domestic double last term.

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Barney Corkhill
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Barcelona's President Josep Maria Bartomeu gives a press conference at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on January 7, 2015
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1Real Madrid19134243192443
2Atletico MadridAtletico18125133122141
3Barcelona19122551222938
4Athletic Bilbao19106329171236
5Villarreal188643430430
6Mallorca199371921-230
7Real Sociedad187471613325
8GironaGirona187472625125
9Real BetisBetis186752122-125
10Osasuna186752327-425
11Celta Vigo187382728-124
12Rayo Vallecano185762021-122
13Las PalmasLas Palmas186482327-422
14Sevilla186482027-722
15Leganes184681728-1118
16AlavesAlaves184592130-917
17Getafe183781115-416
18Espanyol1843111630-1415
19Valencia1826101728-1112
20Real ValladolidValladolid1833121237-2512


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