Enrique wont let Bartra leave

FC Barcelona will not let Marc Bartra leave the club in the winter transfer window, under strict instruction from coach Luis Enrique Martinez.

Sevilla want the defender on loan, but the coach wants to keep Barcelona at the club to give himself more options in defence and make sure there is sufficient back-up.

Lucho considers Bartra important in his squad which has to fight on three fronts – to retain La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League – even though his minutes have been limited thus far.

Bartra, for his part, wants to play more football and a Sevilla switch would allow that, as he tries to build up form to win a place in Del Bosque’s Euro 2016 Spain side.

Bartra has played 11 games this season, starting 6, with 646 minutes played and one goal. He didn’t feature in the Club World Cup, and was a substitute in the UEFA Super Cup. He started the 4-0 defeat by Athletic Club and did not feature in the return, 1-1 at Camp Nou, in the Spanish Super Cup.