Luis Enrique has signed a two-year contract with the French champions.

It is his first role since he stepped down as Spain manager in December after defeat by Morocco on penalties in the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup.

His last job in club management was at Barcelona, where he won nine trophies in three seasons between 2014 and 2017, including the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey Treble in his first campaign in charge.

Luis Enrique went on to replace Fernando Hierro as Spain manager in 2018 and led his country to the final of the Nations League and the semi-finals of the European Championships in 2021, before quitting after their Qatar World Cup exit.

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder takes over a PSG squad in transition.

Question marks remain over the futures of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar following Lionel Messi’s departure to Inter Miami.

The club’s Qatari owners are intent on trying to build a team rather than continuing the policy of signing high-profile players, which has so far failed to deliver the Champions League success they crave.

Early signs had been promising under Galtier after he replaced Mauricio Pochettino last summer.

PSG started last season strongly with a 22-game unbeaten streak, but lost nine times in all competitions after the resumption of club football following the 2022 World Cup.

A 2-1 loss to Marseille in the last 16 of the French Cup in February was quickly followed by defeat against Bayern Munich at the same stage of the Champions League.

And PSG’s league form also waned as they limped to the Ligue 1 title, finishing just one point above runners-up Lens.

Galtier also came under increasing pressure off the pitch after being accused in April of making racist remarks during his time in charge at previous club Nice – allegations that he has denied – and will go on trial in December as a result of an investigation.

PSG said: “The entire Paris St-Germain team would like to thank Christophe Galtier, as well as his assistants Thierry Oleksiak and Joao Sacramento, for their professionalism and commitment throughout the season.”

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Enrique, who left Spain after the World Cup in December, has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Christophe Galtier after PSG’s talks with Julian Nagelsmann broke down.

It is understood, according to Fabrizio Romano, that the 53-year-old is expected to agree terms in the coming days as he closes in on a return to club management for the first time since leaving Barcelona in 2017.

Negotiations are yet to be finalised but Enrique is believed to now be discussing the composition of his backroom staff and could be unveiled as PSG’s new manager this week.

The French champions were also linked with an approach for the Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, this week but appear to have settled on Luis Enrique, who was also in contention to take over at Chelsea before the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino.

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“If they can score four goals against us, we can score six. We have nothing to lose and a lot to win,” Enrique said on Thuesday.

The fierce criticism that came Enrique’s way after their humiliation in Paris three weeks ago has eased after he announced last week that he will step down after three seasons as coach at the end of the campaign.

Rather than show any ill-effects from Enrique’s decision, optimism in the Catalan capital of a stunning fightback has soared after thrashing Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo 6-1 and 5-0 respectively in their last two outings.

“Despite the fact that the result from the first leg is very one-sided, we are only halfway through the tie,” added an uncharacteristically buoyant Enrique.

“In 95 minutes, an infinite amount of things can happen. I am convinced that at some point we will be close to qualifying.

“That isn’t to say we will do it, but that we will be close. And, when you are close, our confidence will soar and theirs could start to diminish.”

No team in the history of the Champions League has ever turned around a four-goal deficit.

However, the statistics back up Enrique’s confidence. The results from more than a third of his home games as Barca coach would be good enough to at least force the game to extra time.

That record includes all three of Barca’s Champions League games this season as they dismantled Celtic (7-0), Manchester City (4-0) and Borussia Moenchengladbach (4-0) by a combined score of 15-0.

Luis Suarez was also bullish as he claimed if there is one team capable of mounting a historic comeback it is Barcelona.

“We are aware that it is a difficult situation to turn the tie around, but in football nothing is impossible,.

“We have to be convinced that we can do it. If there is a team that can score four goals, I think it is Barcelona but with our philosophy of how to play and controlling the game,” said Suarez.

However, the Uruguayan striker pleaded for patience from an expectant near 100,000 fans at the Camp Nou.

An away goal for PSG would mean Barca would have to score at least six to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals for a 10th straight season.

“We are aware that the game lasts 94 or 95 minutes and we have to be ambitious but also patient.

“We hope that the fans understand and we are the first ones that want to make history, but we have to play with a cool head.”

Barca are at full-strength with captain Andres Iniesta replacing Rafinha or Ivan Rakitic likely to be the Enrique’s only change from the side that thrashed Celta at the weekend.

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Barca won the first leg 2-1, but only took control of that match after Fernando Torres was dismissed for two bookable offences. Up until the striker’s departure, Atleti had been the superior side and many thought the Robjiblancos would have gone on to win with 11 men on the pitch.

Impossible to know that now, but in this one Atletico looked fitter and hungrier against a Barca team that has hit a road block since losing the Clasico to fierce rivals Real Madrid at Camp Nou earlier this month.

The Catalans had taken only one point from their three league games prior to this match and struggled against Atleti too until Torres’ dismissal. And Messi had failed to score in all four fixtures, looking especially fatigued since returning from the international break.

Nevertheless, this was an opportunity for Barcelona to prove they remained the best team around with a statement of intent when it mattered most. Yet they were unable to produce it – and nor was Messi.

Antoine Griezmann headed the home side into a first-half lead following a poor clearance by the disappointing Jordi Alba, a player so frustrating in recent weeks that Barca may be on the look out for a new left-back in the summer.

The tie was 2-2 now, but Atleti’s away goal meant they would advance if the scores stayed the same. Barca, now, seemed sure to react – but they couldn’t. Instead, Griezmann netted from the penalty spot late in the game to give Diego Simeone’s side the lead on aggregate.

Right at the end, Barca appealed for a penalty themselves as Gabi handled in the box. Replays showed the action to be just inside the area, yet the referee gave a free-kick to the Catalans which Messi fired over the bar. Iniesta, who had hit the original shot, arguably should not have been on the pitch anyway after handling in the area at the other end in Atleti’s penalty award.

Either way, Barcelona cannot complain. They were simply not good enough on the night and should have put this tie to bed in the last 20 minutes at Camp Nou when they were up against 10 men.

“It is my fault 100 per cent,” Luis Enrique said after the game. “It is obvious we are not in our best moment, but we have to pick ourselves up. There are still some attractive competitions left for us to play.”

Indeed. Gerard Pique had warned his team-mates after the Clasico that they could not afford a dip in form at this stage of the season, but that is exactly what has happened. Barca still lead La Liga by three points from Atletico and are four clear of Real Madrid, while they face Sevilla in the final of the Copa del Rey next month. But nothing has been won yet.

Asked about the fading form of his front three, Luis Enrique said: “It’s unfair to talk about individuals after a defeat, just like it is after a victory. I won’t do that. We are not in our best moment, but I have no complaints at all with the players’ attitude.”

However, Messi’s performance was worrying for Barca fans. The Argentine attacker chased down Yannick Carrasco as he tracked back into his own half in the opening period, but was absent in the areas he was needed most by Barca throughout the game and has not scored for 452 minutes.

That represents his worst run since 2010 and Barca will want their prized player back on form for the remaining tests in La Liga and then the cup final against Sevilla. Failure to sign Nolito in the January window now seems extremely costly and as Luis Enrique said, Barca now need to pick themselves up.

For Simeone and Atleti, meanwhile, this was another triumph. The Rojiblancos had lost all seven games against Luis Enrique’s side prior to this one, but they were the last team to knock the Catalans out of Europe, in 2013-14. And now they have a chance to go one better than they did that season, when they lost the final to Real in Lisbon.

“It was an amazing performance against one of the best teams in the world,” Griezmann said. “Now we are in the last four and as our coach says, we will take it one game at a time.” As they always do.

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Messi’s 41st league goal of the season ensured that Real Madrid will finish second – despite Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Espanyol.

With one game left Barca hold a four-point lead ahead of rivals Real.

Luis Enrique’s treble-chasing side play Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish cup final on 30 May, before facing Juventus in June’s Champions League final.

Defending champions Atletico had gone close to opening the lead before Messi exchanged passes with Pedro and fired low into the corner.

The Barcelona players and staff celebrated on Atletico’s Vicente Calderon pitch after reclaiming the crown which they lost to Diego Simeone’s side on the final day of last season exactly a year ago.

And they could yet repeat the feat of 2008-09, when they won a historic treble under Pep Guardiola.

The Catalan club have scored 108 goals so far in the league, with a fixture at home to relegation-threatened Deportivo La Coruna still to come.

Their front three of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez – who missed the trip to Atletico through injury – have been prolific, netting 115 goals between them in all competitions.

Barca had a trophyless campaign last time round under Argentine coach Tata Martino, but Enrique has turned the club’s fortunes around in his first season in charge.

However, the former Barca and Real midfielder – who played at the Nou Camp between 1996 and 2004 – had to overcome a difficult period in the New Year before eventually guiding Barca to the title.

The 45-year-old coach faced heavy criticism for leaving Messi and Neymar on the bench as Barca, then adrift of Real Madrid in the title race, lost at David Moyes’ Real Sociedad.

There were suggestions that the move led to a row between him and talisman Messi, who was forced to deny reports he wanted to leave Barca.

But since that turbulent week in early January, Enrique has steered Barca to 29 wins and just two defeats in 32 matches across all competitions as they now target the treble.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Real side were hoping Barca would slip up at Atletico in order to take the title race to the final day.

But although Ronaldo took his tally to 45 goals in the league in a 4-1 victory over Espanyol, Messi’s moment of magic was enough for Barca to win their fifth championship in seven years.

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Barca are four points clear with two games left following Real Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Valencia.

After a frustrating first half, Neymar headed home Lionel Messi’s cross to give Barca the lead, and substitute Pedro wrapped it up late on with a brilliant acrobatic effort from the penalty spot.

This round of La Liga games is the last before a suspension of football in Spain starts in an argument over television rights.

If a solution is found and the season can continue, Barcelona, who have now kept seven consecutive clean sheets, need only to beat champions Atletico Madrid or final-day opponents Deportivo La Coruna.

In the reverse meeting in January, Moyes led La Real to a famous win but, with the club safely at mid-table, they had little to play for at the Nou Camp.

Barca boss Luis Enrique made changes with Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona in mind, following their 3-0 first-leg success.

Xavi, Adriano, Marc Bartra and Rafinha all came in but they still dominated from the start with Geronimo Rulli denying a Messi header and Luis Suarez heading wide.

The Real keeper then denied Gerard Pique with a good save, with the defender putting the rebound wide with an overhead kick.

Barcelona kept up the pressure in the second half, and finally led when Real defender Mikel Gonzalez headed Messi’s right-wing cross towards Neymar, who converted from close range.

The game was sealed when Pedro, only on the pitch for three minutes, scored a stunning overhead kick as a deflection looped in the air to him.

Barca are chasing a treble, with a Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, 30 May – subject to football remaining suspended in Spain.

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Gerard Pique opened the scoring with the visitors’ only shot on target in a tight first half before Messi scored from the spot after the break.

Elche were reduced to 10 men when Faycal Fajr was sent off and Neymar scored a quick brace before Messi rifled in the fifth himself.

Pedro netted the sixth late on in a win that keeps Barca one point behind Real.

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique made six changes to the side that beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the Copa del Rey in midweek and benched Luis Suarez on his birthday, despite recently backing the £75m striker to rediscover his best goalscoring form.

Suarez, who netted 32 Premier League goals for Liverpool last season, has scored just five times in 17 games since his summer move to Spain and was replaced in the starting XI by Pedro on the right of an attacking triumvirate with Messi and Neymar.

Amid all the changes it was Elche who started quickly, with Jonathas and Fajr both going close to giving the hosts the lead at the Martinez Valero stadium before Barca defender Pique popped up at the far post to fire home from Xavi Hernandez’s free-kick.

Barca had put 12 past Fran Escriba’s side over three previous meetings this season and when Fajr was sent off moments after Messi had converted from the spot in the second half, following a foul on Neymar, this contest was all but over.

Brazilian Neymar twice latched on to through-balls from Messi to slot past goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton on 69 and 71 minutes and then his Argentine strike partner shimmied to wrong-foot a defender and add the fifth with two minutes left to play.

Neymar had the chance to secure a hat-trick late on but instead decided to square the ball for Pedro, who tapped home from a few yards out.

Barcelona have now won six consecutive games in all competitions and keep the pressure on their arch-rivals at the top the league.

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It was reported the 27-year-old wanted to leave after a row with Enrique.

“I have no intentions of leaving for any team, not Chelsea nor Manchester City,” he said, after inspiring a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid.

“I’m tired of all the things that people have been saying. I didn’t ask the club to fire anyone.”

Messi, who will find out on Monday if he has won a fifth Ballon d’Or, has spent his entire career at the Nou Camp, winning a host of team and individual honours since making his debut in 2004.

“People make it out as if I run the club and that’s not how it is. I don’t ask anyone to make decisions. Everything that has been said is lies and I want people to know that. Everything that has been said is false.”

It had been suggested Barcelona’s record goalscorer might leave the Catalan club following reports of a training-ground row with Enrique, who took over last summer.

“People say these things because they want to cause us harm. It hurts because it came from Barca people. We must be united.”

Messi played a starring role as second-placed Barca beat defending La Liga champions Atletico to maintain their pursuit of leaders Real Madrid.

The Argentina captain set up goals for Neymar and Luis Suarez, before adding a late third, to help his side move within a point of their arch-rivals.

The victory lifted the mood at the 22-time Spanish champions following a tense week where current incumbent Josep Maria Bartomeu called for presidential elections at the end of the season.

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