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BARCELONA. — Think of Barcelona like a tent. Luis Enrique turned up in 2014, pitched it on high ground and it has held firm through the storms, the blizzards and the bluster. Safely housed inside it now is a treble (2014-15), a double (2015-16) and a lotto ticket for another shot at the treble — rescued from the gutter by that seismic 6-1 victory over PSG at Camp Nou in the Champions League.

But the Asturian coach has tired of camping and is taking his pegs with him, whether or not he hits the jackpot in June. Barcelona’s job this summer is to stop the canvas from being blown away by the winds of change.

Because the tent has served Barcelona well. Stitched together by Pep Guardiola, the fabric of the team remains the same. Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and, of course, Lionel Messi, compose the spine that has brought a decade of wild success.

The Catalans wanted Luis Enrique to stay, at least until the 4-0 humiliation in Paris by PSG, and have no immediate plan B now that he is departing, although his replacement may be close at hand.

Barcelona want to continue along the same, profitable, winning line and a clamour is beginning for the coach’s assistant, Juan Carlos Unzue, to be appointed to the role in the summer.

That would reduce the potential effects of change on the team, with the Basque currently offering a lot of tactical and technical assistance to Luis Enrique.

It’s not exactly a Claudio Ranieri-Craig Shakespeare situation, but Unzue’s role in Barcelona’s success is not small.

The players like him, although it remains to be seen if that’s because he is close to them at the moment, playing the good cop to Luis Enrique’s bad cop, something which would have to change if he takes the reins.

“Juan Carlos knows how everything works. He is with us every day,” said Iniesta.

Pique added: “He’s spent many years here, since Guardiola’s spell in charge and before that as a player. I’m sure he would be a good candidate.”

And Ivan Rakitic chipped in: “We have complete confidence in him.”.

Unzue himself threw his hat in the ring on Monday. Speaking at the Tour of Catalonia cycling race, he was asked if he was looking forward to cycling more himself when Luis Enrique leaves Barcelona.

“I hope I don’t have any spare time next year,” he replied.

Barcelona launched their Innovation Hub project yesterday, a new strategy to pool knowledge on various topics from elite sports performance to nutrition and health, via technology, and director Albert Soler said the new coach should utilise it. He explained: “(The new coach) should take into account the club are making an investment in knowledge and that he should use it. Luis Enrique has been a pioneer in this aspect.” — The Mirror.