Xavi Reveals ‘Difficult’ Chat He Had With Pique At Barcelona

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has revealed how he had a “difficult” chat with Gerard Pique before the start of the 2022-23 campaign, following news that the defender is set to retire.

Xavi has explained at a news conference how he spoke to the defender about his future and insisted the conversation was one of the hardest moments of his career as a coach so far.

“We spoke in the summer and I told him my intentions for the season,” he said. “It was one of the most difficult moments in my coaching career having that conversation. He was my teammate and we have all been through this, when you reach a moment when you no longer feel useful. It’s hard to manage.”

Pique has slipped down the pecking order this season and been confined to a bit-part role, and Xavi admitted he has found it hard leaving his former team-mate out of his team.

“It’s not nice making these decisions but I have to make calls for the best of the team. Many times I have felt that I should pick someone else ahead of him and it has hurt, but I have to look out for the team,” he added. “It’s not easy. I don’t know if fair, but I have always been sincere and honest with him. He has remained an example for everyone, never a bad attitude, always training 100%… but the circumstances have led him to call time [on his career].”

Pique has only made three La Liga starts this season and is the club’s fifth choice center-back behind Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, and Andreas Christensen.

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Pep Pays Tribute To Pique

Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola has also paid tribute to Pique and spoke about the defender ahead of his team’s Premier League match against Fulham on Saturday, November 5.

Guardiola managed Pique during his trophy-laden spell in charge of the Catalans and says it was an honor to coach the center-back, as reported by Yahoo Sports.

“He was a player for the big games, never once missing or behave [badly] or have a performance not in the highest level. That is what all the big clubs need, these kind of players,” he said. “He won everything for Barcelona and Spain. The time arrives, the future will be bright, he’s a smart guy. It was an honour for me personally to be his manager, and we spent an incredible four years together.”

Pique will leave Barcelona after 14 season and 30 trophies and will go down as one of the greatest players ever to feature for the Catalans.

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Lewandowski Talks Pique

Guardiola has not been the only one talking about Pique. Tributes for the star have come in from across the world and from his own team-mates. Robert Lewandowski has become the latest to share his thoughts on the defender, as reported by Diario Sport.

“Gerard Piqué is not only a club legend, he is a symbolic player,” he said. “I remember how many times I have played against him and what we have fought for. Now, as a team-mate, he is a brilliant player who has won everything.”

Lewandowski has only played alongside Pique briefly at Barcelona but knows all about the defender having faced the Catalans several times in the Champions League with former club Bayern Munich.

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