Spain coach Luis Enrique stepping down for personal reasons

Posted June 19, 2019 7:00 am

The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - Luis Enrique is stepping down as coach of the Spanish national team for personal reasons.

Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales said Wednesday that assistant coach Roberto Moreno will take over after Luis Enrique told him that he was leaving the team.

Moreno has been in charge of running of the team since Luis Enrique had to step away for what the federation said were "family reasons" in March.

Since then, Luis Enrique had continued working remotely from his home in Barcelona, receiving video feeds of practices and talking to Moreno and his other assistants.

Rubiales said that Luis Enrique was experiencing a "very difficult moment" and asked for the media to respect the coach's privacy.

The 40-year-old Moreno has never been a first-team coach. He has formed part of Luis Enrique's staff for nine years, working with him at Barcelona for three seasons before coming with him to Spain last year.

"I think I have experience," Moreno said. "I have been with Luis (Enrique) nine years. I have been a sponge and absorbed all I can. ... Luis showed me how to handle a changing room, how to handle the press. I completely believe we will do a good job."

Luis Enrique, a former Barcelona coach and player, was named Spain coach following last year's World Cup. He coached the team through the Nations League and its first European Championship qualifier, a 2-1 win over Norway.

Spain has won all three of its European qualifiers with Moreno on the sideline for matches against Malta, the Faeroe Islands and Sweden.

"I have mixed feelings. I am sad, and at the same time, not happy, but with a sense of responsibility," Moreno said. "I always thought since I was 14 years old that one day I would become a coach at the top level, but I never imagined it would be this way. These are special circumstances, but the most important thing is that we have the backing of Luis (Enrique)."

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