Embattled Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has refused to comment on reports his relationship with Lionel Messi has broken down and insists he has the full backing of the club’s board.

– #360LIVE: Transfer Window 
– Puyol resigns as Barca sack director of football Zubizaretta

Speculation has raged in the past few days that Enrique and Messi have suffered a bitter falling out. Reports that Messi was furious with his manager surfaced following Sunday night’s defeat against Real Sociedad, when the 27-year-old was left on the bench until the second half and then had little impact upon his team’s failed attempts to recover from their 1-0 deficit.

There have even been suggestions that Messi is preparing to quit the Nou Camp, sparked by his strange decision to start following Chelsea’s official Instagram account at a time reports were circulating that the Blues were preparing a bid to reunite him with former team-mate and close friend Cesc Fabregas at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking ahead of his team’s Copa del Rey meeting with Elche tonight – a game which has been relegated to an afterthought
considering the turmoil surrounding the club – Enrique played his cards close to his chest over his relationship with his star player.

“I am not going to confirm or deny anything because that would do more harm than good,” he maintained. 

“I have said many times that Messi is the best player in the world but I’m not going to disclose what is said within the dressing room. 

"There is so much negative information around and a lot of lies, which I am not going to comment on.”

And he added enigmatically: “I have the same relationship with all the players that I had at the start of the season.”

Enrique was more dismissive, however, of reports that club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has given him two games – tonight’s meeting with Elche and Sunday’s league clash against Atletico Madrid – to turn around the team’s poor form or face the sack.

“I haven’t received an ultimatum from the president,” the former Roma and Celta Vigo boss countered. 

“I’ve never had any such threat in my entire career. I know every manager’s job depends upon results but I feel as secure in my
position as I ever have.” 

Bartomeu, meanwhile, has attempted to quash reports that Barca are considering selling Messi to Chelsea, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain.

“Everyone in the football world knows that we don’t want to sell Messi,” the Barca president stated. 

“It is not an issue. For me, he is the best player in the world and he is happy in Barcelona.”

And Bartomeu also denied reports that Enrique wanted to take disciplinary action against Messi after the superstar failed to report for an open training session at the club’s reserve team stadium on Monday, a matter of hours after the defeat at Real Sociedad.

“That is totally false and whoever originated that rumour has bad intentions,” stormed Bartomeu, who insisted the official reason
given on Monday – that Messi was suffering from illness – was true.