Camp Nou welcomes Luis Enrique's new Barça

Barça’s 23 first team squad players for the 2014/15 season were presented at the Camp Nou this evening ahead of the Gamper Trophy game against Club Leon. After a rendition of the Club anthem by a multi-national choir , announcer Manel Vich called the back room staff onto the pitch to applause from the fans,. Luis Enrique followed to a standing ovation, flanked by Robert Moreno and Juan Carlos Unzué and then the players themselves came out- Montoya, Piqué and Pedro were the first three to greet the fans , who then roared their support for Neymar Jr.

Luis Suárez gets a great reception

Next up were the summer signings, with applause for Ter Stegen, Rafinha, Rakitic, Masip, Claudio Bravo, Mathieu, Vermaelen... and especially  Luis Suárez on his first public appearance in a Barça shirt.

Finally it was the captains’ turn and after Sergio, Messi and Iniesta had been presented, Xavi spoke a few words to the fans. First up, Xavi  thanked three of the figures who left at the end of last season - Txema Corbella, Víctor Valdés and Carles Puyol and welcomed the Club, before promising:  “we’ll give everything to try and achieve success at the end of the season”."Our main objective is to make sure you are all proud of us at the end of the season, proud of all our effort and hard work”.

Luis Enrique then took the microphone and explained: “it’s a real pleasure to be here, stepping out onto this turf again with all you incomparable fans here to support us – it’s an incredible feeling”. The new coach was full of praise for his new squad: “This is a special group and they are an exemplary group in all the training sessions. Our main objective is to make sure you are all proud of us at the end of the season, proud of all our effort and hard work”.