Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has resumed his duties as head coach of the Spanish national football team, a few months after he stepped down from the position to take care of his ailing daughter Xana.
Upon his return to work, the veteran tactician took full responsibility for the sacking of his assistant and friend Robert Moreno.
He said the decision to expunge Moreno from the team setup was informed by his disloyalty.
He absolved the President of the Spanish Football Federation form any blame.
“I try to put myself in his position, I understand it; I understand that he worked hard to be there, to have that opportunity, and that he is ambitious, but for me it was disloyal, and I would never do that," Enrique said as quoted the Guardian.
“I do not want anyone with that personality on my staff. Ambition is a virtue but over-ambition is not: it is a great defect. That is why I took the decision I took. I told him that day that I didn’t ever see him as a No 2 on my staff. I told him I felt like going back to work, but not yet. The only person responsible for the fact that Robert Moreno is not here, it’s me. It’s not the [Spanish football federation] president [Luis] Rubiales or [its sporting director José] Molina, nor the federation," he added.
Enrique and Moreno worked together at Barcelona Team B, Celta Vigo, AS Roma, and back to Barcelona.