Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says he cannot confirm whether either he or star Lionel Messi will be at the club next season, but stressed that he has no interest in such speculation and is just focused on more short-term matters.
Last week the coach's future at Barca appeared in doubt, and he himself was careful on more than one occasion to neither confirm nor deny stories that his relationship with Messi had broken down completely.
Sunday night's emphatic 3-1 La Liga win over Atletico Madrid, and Messi's comments after the game that the speculation he would leave unless the coach was replaced was "all lies" appeared to lift the tension around the Camp Nou.
However, the Argentine's subsequent comments at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony that he would like to remain at Barca his entire career, but could not say for sure where he would be playing next season, saw more uncertainty return.
Asked repeatedly at Wednesday's post-training news conference about whether his view was that Messi would for sure not leave the club next summer, the Blaugrana coach said he was not making any predictions, while pointing out that the 27-year-old had also said in Zurich that he wanted to end his career at Barca.
"I do not know what the future will bring," Luis Enrique said. "I do not feed controversies. For you [journalists] this is a party, for me less so. I did not even watch the Ballon d'Or ceremony, I did not have that good fortune. I am just focused on controlling the team this year, and then we will see what can happen. Although if [Messi] himself has said he wanted to stay here for many years, I do not know what sense there is in feeding this speculation."
Luis Enrique followed his club president Josep Maria Bartomeu in calling for an at least temporary respite in the tension around the Camp Nou.
"Bartomeu is right," he said. "We will avoid controversies, comments and rumours. We are looking for the best possible atmosphere. We know that outside things change in five seconds."
The continuing drama has taken most of the media focus away from Thursday's Copa del Rey last 16 return game at Elche, a fixture which looks a formality given Barca won last week's first leg 5-0.
Although some squad players and youngsters are expected to get a run in the second leg, Luis Enrique said he was treating the match as seriously as any other.
"We will see what changes are made," he said. "I cannot guarantee you anything. It will be approached the same as always. Looking at how we can do damage to our opponents. We will go out to win, as always."
Veteran playmaker Xavi Hernandez misses out again due to his latest calf muscle injury, Luis Enrique confirmed.
"Tomorrow he will still not be with us, but it is something very small, and we hope to have him back soon," he said.