Enrique insists Atletico are tougher opponents than Real ahead of their first-leg Champions League quarter-final encounter
Barcelona: Barca boss Luis Enrique insisted he has "blind faith" in his players and his side's style of play despite being consistently caught out by Real Madrid, who ended Barca's 39-game unbeaten run in El Clasico on Saturday.
Luis Enrique
Barcelona next face Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou today for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final today, but are also Barca's closest challengers in La Liga.
Atletico knocked Barca out at this stage of the competition two years ago. However, Enrique has won all six of his meetings as coach against Diego Simeone's men since taking charge at the start of last season.
'Atletico are top team'
"Atletico Madrid are a top team with a clear style of play," said Enrique. That is why they are where they are, competing with Barcelona and RealMadrid despite not having the same financial conditions. "It doesn't matter what happened in the El Clasico on Saturday, they are an opponent that will make our lives difficult."
Barca players Luis Suarez (left), Lionel Messi (center) and Gerard Pique chat during a practice session in Barcelona yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique too warned Atletico pose an even greater threat. "They don't scare us, but they are having an spectacular season. At the moment they are the second best team in Spain, as the league shows," Pique said. "It will be more difficult than Saturday because they are a team that sits deep and breaks well on the counter-attack. In the end it depends on us.
"If from the first minute we want the ball, move it quickly, the fans are with us like they were on Saturday, and it all comes together, I think we are almost unstoppable. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich host Benfica in another quarters cash
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