Gerard Pique announced his retirement
He made this sudden announcement today in a video message on social media. PK said he will play his last match for Barcelona against Almeria tomorrow.
PK said in a video message, “I have been thinking about that child for several days. If little Gerard had been told that all his dreams had come true, what would he have thought? He will play in Barcelona’s starting XI and win all possible titles. One day will be European and World Champion, playing with the best in the world. Will be one of the captains of the team, will be friends for life with many!’
There is nothing else to get, PK said, ‘It’s been 25 years since I joined Barcelona. I left and came back again. Football has given me everything. Barcelona gave me everything. You have given me everything.
Gerard Pique was a Barcelona youth player until 2004. Joined Manchester United that year. Returned to Barca after spending four years at Old Trafford. Played more than 600 matches in Barcelona. Eight La Liga, three Champions League, and seven Copa del Rey win for the club.
PK won the World Cup for Spain in 2010 and the Euro in 2012.
Even if he says goodbye to Barcelona now, he will return to Camp Nou, said PK, ‘You know me. I will be back today or tomorrow. See you at Camp Nou. Long live Barca. All the time.’
Why such a sudden farewell to Peak?
The age is over 35. Said goodbye to the national team 4 years ago. The best rhythm has also been left behind. The twilight of Gerard Pique’s career was visible. However, there are some sources of farewell, there are also some preparations. But PK did not follow all those rules or preparation formulas.
This Spanish center-back said goodbye to football very suddenly. More precisely, Pique ended his 14-year relationship with Barcelona’s first team.
Such a sudden farewell announcement is more emotional than logical. The departure of the pick is the same! Or he could have given the farewell message two months ago before the start of the new season. That would have been more logical and a relief. But it didn’t happen. Pique’s farewell message is finally written in the ink of discomfort. But the question is why? The reason for the departure was not found in his message. However, the reason is not difficult to guess. The stage for Peake’s departure was set earlier.
In the last two seasons, PK has suffered a lot due to injuries and a lack of rhythm. However, in between, one-time teammate Xavi Hernandez came to the Nou Camp as Barcelona’s coach. Many thought that Xavi would give his old friend a license to play for a few more days in a new form.
But the situation started to change as soon as the new season started. Less than two months later, it was clear that Pique had lost importance at Barça. Ronald Araujo, Hulles Kunde, Andres Christensen, and Eric Garcia are more important than the pick of the coach Javi Hernandez. Pique was originally number 5 on Xavi’s list of defenders. As a result, one of the best defenders of his time has spent most of the season warming the bench.
Gerard Pique could not accept being such a brother in the team. Couldn’t wait to finish the season. A few days after Barca’s Champions League dream was shattered, he said that he would hang up his boots.
However, PK had already hinted that the departure could be like this. He said, if necessary, he will retire but will not warm the bench.
However, Barca and team coach Xavi did not take their message of Pique into account. Xavi kept him on the bench for most of the matches this season. Pique was in the starting XI in just 3 of 12 matches in La Liga. Gerard Pique was not brought to the field in 7 matches. And PK got a chance to play from the beginning in only 2 matches in the Champions League. Here too, PKK has to spend the entire 90 minutes on the bench in 2 matches.
In this behavior, Barca authorities may be showing the way to leave PKK. Earlier last September, Spanish media Sport said, Barca hopes to keep his word and say goodbye to Pique. But why? Saying, in the last team change, the Camp Nou team brought players to the team under great financial pressure. Sport claimed that Gerard Pique’s exit would be a big relief to be relieved this pressure. A Barca source told the media at the time, “Let’s see if he keeps his word or not?”
Yes, PK kept his word. Pique, who contributed greatly to Barca’s rise to the top, may not have wanted to be burdened by the team’s financial woes. Nor did he want to be a member of the club for which he made himself the top defender. Of course, it could also be that the PKK has been forced to say goodbye. But whatever the reason, Pique’s departure is now a reality. Gerard Pique will not wear the boots again after Barca’s next match for Almeria.
However, the lack of performance is also a big reason behind the departure of Gerard Pique. The lack of rhythm essentially relegated PKK to the bench. Not that Xavi gave him a chance at all. Gerard Pique was largely responsible for scoring in the Champions League match in which Barca was eliminated from the competition after drawing with Inter Milan. Especially in the first goal.
On that day, Alessandro could have tried to block Bastoni’s cross or dropped back and tried to cover Nicola Barella. But he just looked at it without doing anything. It gave Inter a chance to get back into the match. Gerard Pique was heavily criticized after that match. Supporter and striker Robert Lewandowski also criticized the defense after that match. Most of which fall on the peak.
After that match, Xavi’s confidence definitely went down further. After the Inter match, Gerard Pique was not in the starting eleven in any La Liga match. Xavi played him for 90 minutes in the ‘Dudhbhat’ match against Victoria Plzen in the Champions League. And what ultimately drove the PKK to this sudden decision to retire. However, if both parties showed a little more discretion, the farewell could have been more beautiful without being so uncomfortable. Say goodbye to an era.