Barcelona attacker Neymar has admitted that he is "sad" that Luis Enrique has decided to step down as manager of the Catalan giants at the end of the current season.

Last week, Enrique revealed that he would not be signing a new contract at Camp Nou, and had decided to leave when his current deal expires at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

Neymar has said that the Barcelona players "have a lot of affection for" Enrique, but they understand the Spaniard's decision to walk away from the high-pressure job.

"It's sad because he is someone we have a lot of affection for. We have been with him for three seasons and we have a lot of faith in him. We wish him the best in life," Neymar told Barcelona's official website.

"He knows what is best for him and we are just happy with how he has helped us in the last few years in which we have won so many trophies."

Since taking charge of Barcelona in 2014, Enrique has led the Spanish giants to two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, one Champions League, one Spanish Super Cup, one UEFA Super Cup and the 2015 Club World Cup.