Anwar Ibrahim (Cairo)
Gerard Pique, the center of Barcelona’s defense, is no longer unanimous within the Catalan club’s board of directors, as his frequent injuries and non-sporting news that fill the front pages of Spanish and international newspapers, and his multiple commercial interests outside the green rectangle, are all reasons that led decision makers within Barca to seriously consider getting rid of From him and separation from him, in addition to his huge salary “19 million euros annually” at a time when the club’s management is seeking to reduce the team’s salary structure, so that it can sign new deals this summer.
And the newspaper “AS” reported that the Barca administration believes that Pique is no longer providing the technical and physical return that is commensurate with his large salary, knowing that his contract still extends for another two years.
Pique’s salary represents a really big burden on the club’s treasury at a time when the administration is looking to rationalize spending, and sees that his departure is the best solution that allows the Blaugrana to save an important part of the money that can be used to follow up on summer deals, the most important of which are the deals of the Polish Robert Lewandowski and the Portuguese Bernardo Silva. However, the club’s management is well aware that Pique is a “legend” for the club and an “icon” for its fans with his long and honorable history, as he still enjoys the love of a wide section of the masses, who are marked by the club’s presidency in the future. No one else could force him to take it.
Given the sensitivity and difficulty of the situation, as Pique is one of the stars with a long and honorable history with the club, the club’s management has issued his former colleague and current coach Xavi Hernandez in an attempt to persuade him to leave.
And the newspaper “Sport” revealed that Xavi met with him secretly two weeks ago and told him that he no longer needed him, and Xavi built his words on the reality of the many physical problems that Pique suffers from, as well as his unprofessional behavior outside the green rectangle.
Xavi believes in Pique’s football talent, technical skill and long experience, and he cannot question it, and that is why his focus was on the physical side of the player, and his absence for long periods due to injuries, mostly caused by his advanced age “35 years”.
Pique did not stand idly by at the criticism leveled at him, but responded to the allegations of the club’s management and coach, saying that he would train more seriously than ever in order to regain his high form, and that he would give up some of his other non-sporting obligations. Xavi tried to make it clear to Pique that he wanted a reliable center of defense to build a fighting team, and that he did not see in his former colleague the possibility of playing this role. Xavi repeated his assurance to Pique that he would not get minutes of playing as he had in the past, but that made the player more determined to stay and not leave. The file is still open.
It is reported that Pique’s contract extends until the summer of 2024, and that Barcelona owes him an amount of 40 million euros, and that the chances of Pique staying in the team are 99% closer, according to the newspaper “AS”, while the newspaper “Sport” confirmed that Xavi does not want to be associated with any An infinite player, he is willing to sacrifice all the “holy cows” in the locker room to help the team develop and improve, and return to the podium.
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