With players like Messi, Neymar and Suarez, who needs tactics? It wasn’t clever innovation that obliterated all opponents, it was three players being allowed to express themselves and with the freedom to do as they pleased. Luis Enrique’s future will not be defined by the decisions he makes but by how long their incredible form can be preserved. History tells us it is difficult to sustain such brilliance but Messi in particular has been performing to an astonishing level since 2008 and shows no signs of waning.
And the key is that Messi is content. He is content in his surroundings, content to agree with Suarez that he can operate centrally while Messi drifts wide, and is content to begin his natural progression into playmaker from relentless goal-scorer.
And he was also motivated enough to make it clear that he wanted the team to move to the next level. There are many figures looking to take credit for the transformation of the team in 2015 and the dramatic end result, but it begins and ends with Messi. If you are able to keep the Argentine driven by the project then good things can happen. It’s unclear how much credit Luis Enrique can take for this but having the best player in history travelling in the same direction is the best any team can crave for.
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