By Daily Sports on January 14, 2016
Luis Enrique was quick to praise Lionel Messi and Munir after they played starring roles in Barcelona’s 2-0 Copa del Rey last-16 second-leg win over Espanyol.
Munir was on target twice, with Messi having a hand in both goals as Barca cruised into the quarter-finals 6-1 on aggregate.
Despite the emphatic 4-1 win recorded in a first leg that saw two Espanyol players sent off, Messi played the full 90 minutes at Cornella-El Prat on Wednesday.
And Luis Enrique believes the extra playing time can only be beneficial for Messi – who returned from a knee injury in November and missed the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final last month due to a renal colic.
“He's doing great,” Luis Enrique said of Messi – who was awarded the Ballon d'Or for the fifth time on Monday. “He has rested a lot already with his injury. The more minutes you accumulate, the better.”
On Munir, he added: “He did well. He’s young, has qualities and I’m delighted for him.”
Asked about his side’s overall performance, Luis Enrique said: “We started hesitant and indecisive, but after 15 minutes the game was ours.
“We suffered a bit, but we are satisfied.” (Yahoo Sport)
•Photo shows Messi charging forward as an Espanyol player battles to stop him . . . yesterday in the Copa del Rey clash.
Source Daily Sports
Posted January 14, 2016
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