Luis Enrique Taken to Hospital with Appendicitis: Updates on Barcelona Manager

Update from Monday, June 9

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique's emergency surgery for acute appendicitis has been successful and the 44-year-old is expected to be released from hospital in the next day or so.

The news was reported on Barcelona's official club website:

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FC Barcelona's coach, Luis Enrique Martinez, has had an emergency operation for acute appendicitis. The surgery was successful and he will be discharged in the next day or so.

The new coach started at the Club on May 21, and has since been working intensely with his collaborators on the configuration of the Barça squad for next season. Barça 2014/15 are due to be back at training on July 14th.

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Original Text

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has been taken to the hospital with acute appendicitis and will undergo surgery on Monday.

The news was reported on the Daily Mail's Twitter feed as well as by Spanish newspaper Marca:

The 44-year-old is in only the very early stages of his time in charge of the Catalan giants, having taken over from Tata Martino, who left the post at the end of the 2013-14 season, per BBC Sport.

Barca won no significant silverware last season, as they lost out on the La Liga title to Atletico Madrid and the Copa del Rey to Real Madrid.

They were also knocked out of the Champions League by Atleti at the quarter-final stage. Diego Simeone's men would go on to lose to their city rivals in the final in Portugal.

Enrique appeared for both Barca and Real in his playing career and won three La Liga titles. He also represented Spain 62 times at international level, per BBC Sport. 

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The Spaniard took over at the Camp Nou in May—leaving his post at Celta Vigo—and is in the planning stages for Barca's 2014-15 season.

He was previously coach of the Barcelona B team between 2008 and 2011 and has asserted his ambition to allow young players an opportunity in the first-team squad, per The Guardian:

"I love to support young players but I demand that they show hunger and ambition. The door is open to all B players, and all the players in the youth teams."

However, any thoughts of on-field concerns pale into insignificance in this kind of situation, and all those connected with the football club will no doubt be hoping for a speedy recovery from their manager.

Barcelona have endured a difficult year off the playing field, with Martino's predecessor, Tito Vilanova, passing away aged 45 from throat cancer back in April. 

Vilanova had been forced to quit his job as Barca coach in the summer of 2013 after a relapse of the disease.