TIL Desk Sports/ Barcelona will travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach for their Champions League match on Wednesday without Lionel Messi but the Spaniards have enough options and firepower to plug the gap left by the Argentine, coach Luis Enrique said. Messi has been sidelined for three weeks with a groin injury but Barca were unaffected by their leader’s absence on Saturday, firing five goals past Sporting Gijon in a show of force ahead of their second Group C match.
Their opening game in Europe was even more impressive as the Spaniards crushed Celtic 7-0 to move top of the standings on goal difference ahead of Manchester City, led by their former coach Pep Guardiola. Barcelona have scored 18 goals in four games since losing 2-1 at home to Alaves on Sept. 10, with Neymar and Luis Suarez in fine form.
“I have different kinds of players and that gives me a lot of options,” Luis Enrique said. “Depending on who we are playing and the players I have available, I will pick the ones that I think are right for the situation. “To lose Messi means that football loses. With Messi we are stronger, but we will continue being strong,” he said. He rested several players on Saturday, including Ivan Rakitic, Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano.
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