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Coach Enrique pleased with Barcelona pre-season

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IANS Barcelona

FC Barcelona coach Luis Enrique appears pleased with his team's pre-season training which ends on Wednesday against Italian football club Roma in the 50th Joan Gamper Trophy match.

"I would give the team a B in terms of game situations this pre-season. I have seen many things improved, compared to last year, more than what we had to do, and some of it in defence," Martinez said on Tuesday, reports EFE.

Regarding the European Super Cup and La Liga, the team needs to "improve in two crucial areas" in which the group was not well focused at the beginning of summer, Martinez said.

 

"We will win these two finals if we can be effective and know how to defend near our area," the coach said.

In any case, Enrique said he was happy that the pre-season was coming to an end. "I don't like the preseason. I've never liked it. Fortunately, it finishes soon and the campaign is about to start."

In a week, the club will play Sevilla in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the final of the European Super Cup, and Enrique said he was convinced that the Andalusian club, although featuring many new faces, would be a formidable opponent.

"Every year, (Sevilla coach) Unay Emery has to work wonders due to the comings and goings of so many players. But I'm sure they will fight hard and be very competitive, as always. I am certain it will be a tough and complicated final for both teams," Martinez said.

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First Published: Aug 05 2015 | 3:06 PM IST

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