‘Barca need to finish season in style’

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Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has urged his side not to let up in the quest for a potential treble despite facing the doomed Cordoba on Saturday just days before entertaining Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Cordoba's relegation back to the second tier after just one season in La Liga will be confirmed at the weekend unless they pull off a monumental upset to register their first league win since January.

By contrast, Barca have swept aside their opponents of late, including a stunning 6-0 thrashing of Getafe on Tuesday, to consolidate their two-point lead over Real Madrid with four La Liga games to play.

"We need to concentrate on winning our own points. If we win all the games it doesn't matter what the opponents do," Luis Enrique said on Friday.

"Evidently, I want the rival to drop points but what matters most to me is my team.

"Until you get to the finish line you don't know if you have achieved the objectives. It is like if a marathon runner has a great time after 40 kilometres and then stops and starts to walk."

While Barca could be forced to fight until the final match to win their fifth title in seven years, Bayern will be able to rest up when they face Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday having already sealed a 25th German title.

However, Luis Enrique played down suggestions that could give Pep Guardiola's men an advantage ahead of their semifinal, first-leg meeting at the Camp Nou next Wednesday.

"I would have preferred to have won the league 15 weeks ago, but that is not possible.

"I don't think it is an advantage fighting until the end, but nor is it a disadvantage. It ensures we are on our guard."