Luis Enrique: Barcelona are focused on Eibar, not Lionel Messi record bid

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has said the prospect of Lionel Messi breaking the all-time La Liga scoring record is not a concern for him as his side prepare to take on Eibar at the Camp Nou.

Messi, who this week celebrated 10 years in the Barca first team, needs two more goals to equal the 60-year-old record of 251 held by former Athletic Bilbao striker Telmo Zarra.

But Enrique told his pre-match news conference: "We are not talking about that. We are just interested in the good of the group, beating Eibar, getting the three points. It [the record] will soon fall on its own."

Barca are facing a huge week, with a Champions League group game at home to Ajax on Tuesday followed by the season's first clasico at Real Madrid on Saturday.

Enrique, however, said he was focused only on the challenge posed by Eibar, who have lost just two of their first seven Primera Division games.

"I am concerned about Eibar, the next opponent, who are well placed despite being newly promoted," he said.

"They are not just a team who closes up at the back -- they won at Elche, and away from home have pressed high and used counter-attack and set pieces well. They are what worries me."

He said he would continue rotating his players through their forthcoming fixtures, with international exertions on his mind and Pedro Rodriguez confirmed as starting in attack on Saturday.

"Now there are different games coming in a short space of time," he said. "I will try and take things into account like long journeys and playing time when choosing my line-ups.

"Pedro is fully fit -- he has trained, as always, with the intensity required. I can reveal that against Eibar he will start the game -- I have told him that already. I do not want to name all 11 as I have not told them yet."

Friday's Copa del Rey draw paired 26-time winners Barca with third tier Huesca in the last 32, and the coach said: "The Copa is interesting and attractive. Maybe it would gain more if the games were one-off [rather than over two legs]. I have seen the draw and I like it. It is a special competition I have always liked."
Enrique tried to draw a line under the incident that saw defender Gerard Pique admit to insulting traffic police who tried to fine him for parking in a bus lane late at night.

"[Pique] has apologised, he has done wrong, he himself has recognised that," he told reporters. "It is not for me to have to judge these things. I do not think it will affect him. If anyone is used to being in the spotlight and different public situations it is Pique. He seems the same as always to me."