Ernesto Valverde issues first comments as Barcelona coach

May 31 (UPI) -- FC Barcelona's Ernesto Valverde spoke with Barca TV Wednesday for the first time as the team's coach.

The club hired Valverde after manager Luis Enrique announced in March that he was not returning to the team. He coached Barca for three seasons.

Enrique was hired on May 21, 2014. He also coached the team from 2008 through 2011. As Barca's manager, he won three Spanish Cups, a Spanish Super Cup, a FIFA Club World Cup, a UEFA Supercup, the Champions League, a was a two-time Spanish champion.

Valverde has coached Athletic Bilbao, Valencia CF, Olympiacos, Villarreal CF and Espanyol. He has three Greek championships, a Greek cup and a Spanish Super Cup.

"I am very excited about heading into this new stage of my career," Valverde told Barca TV Wednesday. "It's an enormous challenge and I have the intention of making FC Barcelona even greater than it already is."

Barca was second in La Liga standings, behind Real Madrid. Barca finished first in La Liga last year and in 2015.

"In the last several seasons, they've been able to enjoy great players and coaches," Valverde told Barca TV. "My idea is to keep it that way, and to have them enjoy those things even more and to have them be proud of the team."

Valverde, 53, played for Barca from 1988 to 1990. He won a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and a Copa del Rey during his tenure with Barca. Juventus knocked Barca out of the Champions League this season after a 0-0 draw in April at Camp Nou.