Luis Enrique: I do not keep secrets from Messi

Barcelona boss Luis Enrique insists he does not keep any secrets from star forward Lionel Messi.

Luis Enrique was riled by questions after substituting Messi for the first time this year during Saturday's 3-0 LaLiga victory over Athletic Bilbao, a match that had seen the Argentina international score with a free-kick.

Messi had previously played every minute of Barca's matches in 2017 and initially appeared frustrated when he was taken off, although he was later seen joking with Luis Suarez on the substitutes' bench.

And ahead of Tuesday's Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid – a tie Barca lead 2-1 – Luis Enrique appeared to suggest he had pre-warned Messi he wanted to rest him ahead of the crucial fixture at Camp Nou.

The head coach claimed he does not keep any secrets from Messi and that it would be a crazy situation if he did not speak with his star man regularly.

Asked how he convinces Messi that he sometimes needs to rest, Luis Enrique said: "I don't. 

"I normally talk to my players about everyday situations and there are not really any secrets. 

"Every coach talks to their players. Imagine not talking to Lionel Messi - that would be ridiculous.

"Those kinds of things happen every day, including with other players, but I don't want to get into the details of those discussions."