Barcelona can win final five despite dramatic slump, says beleaguered boss Luis Enrique

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique claimed his side are capable of winning their final five La Liga games to claim the title despite slipping to a fourth defeat in five games as they were beaten 2-1 by Valencia on Sunday.

The Catalans hadn’t tasted defeat in 39 games until losing to Real Madrid earlier this month, but have since thrown away a nine-point lead at the top of La Liga and been dumped out the Champions League by Atletico Madrid.

Barca still lead La Liga thanks to their superior head-to-head record with Atletico with Real a point behind in third, but now need to win all five remaining games against Deportivo la Coruna, Sporting Gijon, Real Betis, Espanyol and Granada to keep matters in their own hands.

Moreover, they have now lost three consecutive La Liga games for the first time in 13 years.

“If there is a team capable of doing it and much more given what they have done, it is this Barca,” said Enrique.

“Perhaps it is more difficult than normal when the team loses, for me, unjustly some of the games we have lost. We lost two games in the first 30 and now three in a row, it is not normal.

“This sport generates a lot of surprises, I think we have criticised ourselves when it has been necessary, but today is not a day to criticise my players, it is a day to congratulate them.”