OMNISPORT

Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique has promised supporters he will not take any risks with the fitness of star attackers Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

The MSN strike-force have scored 59 La Liga goals between them this season and the Camp Nou boss was asked whether he planned to give any of them a break at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday.

But Luis Enrique kept his cards close to his chest on what he plans to do with his starting lineup, with Barca five points clear of Atletico Madrid at the top of the table and holding a game in hand.

"Resting the three forwards will depend on what I see fit," he said at his pre-match media conference. "It is something that I haven't brought up. We will see – to be a coach is to continually take decisions. 

"Each player has their own physical profile and we have it under control. Don't worry, because I always do things that benefit the team. We will not commit risks. I like to go through the week thinking that everyone could play and until one hour before the game, they don't know who will play. I like that they have this uncertainty.

The Barca coach also played down specific concerns over Suarez after he was questioned on why the ex-Liverpool star has already played more minutes in this campaign than he did in the whole of 2014-15.

"Last year Suarez couldn't play [at the start of the season], so it's normal he has played more minutes." 

Luis Enrique was also asked about his preference to make substitutions much later in matches than many other coaches do. 

"Sometimes I have made changes early, but that is not normal," he said. "It goes with the profile of each player – I don't rule out doing so. If the solution is to change three players at once, I will do it, but I prefer not to."