Gerard Piqué, one of Barcelona’s biggest names, recently announced his retirement from the club. At the age of 35, the player built his career as a defender for the Catalan team for 14 years, winning significant titles throughout his career. However, the news of his sudden departure shocked the football world.
Reasons for Pique’s departure from Barcelona
Piqué claimed that had it not been for the injuries to the club’s defensive system, he would have left the team at the start of the season. The player also stated that he always said that he would leave when he no longer felt important and that he was feeling out of place. At times, he felt like going to the locker room to say that he couldn’t go on any longer. The break for the World Cup was set as a deadline for him to actually leave, since after the event all injured players would already be recovered.
The incident that led to Piqué’s dismissal
Piqué was sent off at half-time against Osasuna last Tuesday, preventing him from returning for the second half, where it would be his 617th game in his career for Barça. Referee Gil Manzano said the player fired a series of offenses at him. Piqué denies it and said that the strongest offense would have come from his teammate.
Gerard Piqué’s plans after retirement
Despite having announced his retirement, Piqué is not willing to step away from the world of football completely. On the contrary, he intends to pay more attention to Ancorra, the second division team, which he owns, and has revealed an interest in managing Barcelona in the future. However, at the moment, the player has other priorities and wants to feel the feeling of no longer having to train every day and play on weekends. In addition, Piqué highlighted his desire to explore the full potential of the club of his life and indicated his interest in managing it in the near future.
Pique’s career achievements
Throughout his career, Piqué was champion of the European Championship and the World Cup with the Spanish national team. For Barcelona, the defender won eight Spanish Championships, three Champions League and Club World Cup, in addition to other lesser titles.