Football
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Luis Suarez on course to be fit for Barcelona's finals - Luis Enrique

Luis Suarez is on course to be fit for the team's upcoming Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said on Saturday.

Suarez's hamstring issue meant he missed Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Deportivo La Coruna, during which Lionel Messi scored twice more, and after which departing captain Xavi Hernandez lifted the La Liga trophy before giving an emotional speech from the Camp Nou pitch.

This means the former Liverpool man remains a doubt for next Saturday's Copa final back at the Camp Nou, and the Champions League decider against Juventus in Berlin a week later.

The Blaugrana boss said in his post-game news conference that Suarez was making progress with the injury, but it was too early to say when he would be back fully fit.

"[Suarez] is very good, better, but not yet at 100 percent," Luis Enrique said. "I understand he will arrive fit to play, we must wait and see."

Luis Enrique said he and his team were "optimistic" about the chances of winning the Treble, before reminding everyone that it had been achieved just once before in Barca's club history.

"It is obvious that after this season, we are optimistic about the two games we have left," he said. "I want to take this chance to call for fans to come and support us. Their support will be good for us as we try and win two more trophies. But we do not forget that this is a thing that the club has only done once before."

Luis Enrique said Athletic Bilbao are sure to cause Barca problems in next week's Copa decider.

"I look on the positive side," he said. "We are playing at the Camp Nou and we know every centimetre. If it goes as usual, it will be uncomfortable and they will pressure us. Or it could be a more conservative Athletic.

"But I am going to see a strong Athletic and well supported, for sure. They will for sure cause us problems and mistakes. We do not think it is done. We are going to have to play very well."

Luis Enrique also said he was looking forward to see whether Juventus stuck to their historic defensive style, or played a bit more open as they had when overcoming Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.

"To an extent it will be about what we offer, but they could do two things, sit back in their area or play out from the back as we saw in the semifinal," he said. "The Juve I got to know, I got to know with Roma, and I want to see the level they can show. I am curious to know if we will have the ball more than them or not. But they are a top team, of course."

Saturday's game also saw Thomas Vermaelen, a €15 million summer signing from Arsenal who had made his Barca debut in the final La Liga game of the season, after finally recovering from a hamstring problem.

"I am happy for him to have been able to play, and who are doing very well," Luis Enrique said. "Vermaelen is a very proven player who did well in the air and with his feet. A great signing for next season."

Asked for his thoughts on the summer's coming presidential elections at Camp Nou, Luis Enrique, who has regularly refused to confirm he will stay at the club for next season, did not take the opportunity to back current president Josep Maria Bartomeu to continue.

"I have already said that there were decisions I did not share," he said. "But I take my own decisions."

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