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Gerard Pique is known for timing his challenges to perfection and he’s gone in hard on the Barcelona board just a day before El Clasico.
The center-back has given an explosive interview to La Vanguardia where he’s hit out at the way the club had been run by the current board and, in particular, their treatment of captain Lionel Messi.
Pique highlights the recent I3 Ventures scandal that saw the club accused of hiring a company to attack players on social media. Barcelona has denied the accusations, as reported by the Associated Press, but Pique’s anger at the saga is evident.
The scandal with the social media accounts. As a Barça player I see that my club has spent money, money that they’re now asking us for, to criticize not only people outside of the club that have a historic relationship with the club, but active players.
And that’s brutal. I asked for explanations and he [Bartomeu] told me ‘Gerard, I didn’t know.’ And I believe that. But then you see that the person who you know made the decision to hire out those companies for those services still works for the club.
The defender has recently committed his future to the club despite his obvious frustrations. The club announced he has signed an extension that runs until the summer of 2024.
Pique added that he had decided to stay because: “Barça has given me everything so I’m at the club’s disposal. They told me that whatever salary I gave up this year I would be paid back in the future.”
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Pique Asked Messi to Hold On
The former Spain international also opened up on Messi’s recent attempt to leave Barcelona during the summer transfer window. The Argentine sent a burofax to the club informing them of his desire to depart but could not find a way out.
Pique explained how angry it made him to see Messi trying to leave.
How come the best player ever, that we’ve had the blessed fortune of enjoying, gets up one day and sends a burofax because you’re not listening to him? It’s all very shocking. What is happening?
Leo deserves everything. The new stadium should be named after him and then whatever else commercial name they want. We have to take better care of our legends, not to disparage them. It makes me angry.
The defender also explained that he tried to do his best to convince Messi to stay at the club: “I remember telling him that ‘It’s only one more year and then new people will come.'”
Barcelona is due to hold presidential elections in March 2021, but there could be a change of president before then. Current president Josep Maria Bartomeu is facing a vote of no confidence next month, as reported by AS.
Pique ‘Optimistic’Ahead of El Clasico
Pique and Barcelona are currently preparing for the first Clasico of the season which takes place at the Camp Nou on Saturday. Both sides head into the match after being surprisingly beaten last time out in La Liga.
The Barcelona defender says he’s “optimistic” ahead of the clash, and his team do have momentum after enjoying a 5-1 win over Ferencvaros in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid is under pressure after losing to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday in their group stage game. The defeat means manager Zinedine Zidane is under pressure and will be in “dangerous territory” if his team is beaten in El Clasico, according to AS.
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