Luis Enrique, open to the possibility of loaning players for the Olympic Games

Luis Enrique said on Saturday that he “doesn’t own the players” and was “quite open” to the possibility of releasing them for Olympic Games this summer. “I do not own the players, the players have a contract with the club. It is clear that at the moment of winning the Olympic Games in my country, in Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​​it is strange for me to prevent a player to participate,” he explained when asked about the topic at a press conference on the eve of OM-PSG.

The Olympic football tournament (July 24 to August 9) is open to players aged 23 or younger, but each country has the opportunity to call up three players over this age limit. Clubs, however, are under no obligation to make their players available to the Olympic team.

“The truth, continued Luis Enrique, is that you have to study each case individually, it is difficult to chain the Euro Cup (June 14 – July 14) and the Olympic Games, which is probably not very logical because the players have responsibilities. to their club. , but I think each case should be treated individually.”

He is referring to Warren Zaire-Emery, who can compete in both competitions. Bradley Barcola is also expected to participate in the Olympic Games with Thierry Henry’s French team. French star Kylian Mbappé, who announced to his management his intention to leave the club at the end of the season, should no longer have a contract with PSG in time for the Olympic tournament. “There is also the freedom of the player that is being discussed, I am quite open but the rights of the club must be protected and I am here to defend the rights of my club,” he added.

On Wednesday, after Real Madrid’s resounding ‘no’, Rennes also expressed its strong reluctance to release its players for the tournament through its sporting director Florian Maurice. The Spanish club informed several federations in a letter that it will not release any players during this period.