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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has been enjoying his day off ahead of the final week of the season in Spain with a spot of wakesurfing.
The squad was given two days rest after Saturday’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Real Valladolid, and the center-back has been showing off his skills on the water on social media.
It’s the second time in a week that Pique has caught the eye with his activities away from the pitch. The defender was also spotted arriving at the Camp Nou last week for the derby against Espanyol on his electric bike.
Barcelona will return to training on Tuesday ahead of a big week. They still have a slim chance of retaining their title and face games against Osasuna on Thursday and Alaves on Sunday.
Real Madrid currently lead La Liga by one point but have played a game less than the Catalan giants. Los Blancos can extend the gap to four points on Monday night with a win over Granada.
Barcelona Battling Fatigue
The return of La Liga has seen Barcelona play nine games in four weeks in order to get the season finished following a three-month break due to Covid-19.
Manager Quique Setien admitted in the wake of Saturday’s win that the schedule had left his team fatigued after they struggled in the second half after a dominant opening 45 minutes.
“It was not a football problem. We’ve played a lot of games, there’s a lot of fatigue. We’ve got players that have played a lot of minutes. It wasn’t a football issue.”
Barcelona restarted with a two-point lead but costly draws against Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo have seen the team knocked off the top and likely to finish behind Real Madrid.
Pique Vows to Fight Until the End
Pique remains a vital presence for Barcelona in defense. The 33-year-old has started every game for Barcelona since the restart and is expected to feature again on Thursday.
The Catalan has also insisted his side will fight to the end despite now being underdogs for the title. He wrote on Twitter recently: “Remember one thing, we are Barça and that is not over yet. Fighting to the end is part of our DNA.”
An intriguing week awaits in La Liga with the title still up for grabs. Barcelona will then turn their attentions to the Champions League and a last-16 second leg tie against Napoli at the Camp Nou on August 8.
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