Luis Enrique: Neymar must accept that I have to make decisions

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique insists he did not see Neymar react angrily to his substitution against Sevilla on Saturday but says that every member of his squad must accept that he is the boss at Camp Nou.

Neymar put the Catalans 2-0 up at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan with a fantastic free kick and was proving one of the visitors' most dangerous attacking threats before being surprisingly replaced by Xavi with 16 minutes remaining.


The Brazil international appeared visibly annoyed by his withdrawal but Luis Enrique did not want to be drawn on the issue on the eve of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first-leg meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.

"I didn't see anything," the Barca boss told reporters at the Parc des Princes.

"I understand that all players want to play and the players should have to understand I have to make decisions.

"From there, you can speculate about whatever you want."

Luis Enrique also refused to confirm whether Neymar will start in Paris but he did acknowledge that the Selecao skipper has formed a wonderful understanding with fellow forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

"I think they look great," he stated. "They give us so much and give us so much from a defensive point of view. They’re in good form.

"But I like everything about my team; that’s why we are where we are."

Indeed, Luis Enrique does not believe that the unavailability of the suspended Dani Alves will have a major bearing on Barca's hopes of victory in the French capital.

"Alves is an important player for us, as evidenced by the amount of minutes he plays," he added.

"However, we have a large squad and the options I have available to me offer me reassurances that Dani Alves' absence will not condition how we play."