Piqué, at the LaLiga Champions Gala: “I hope Madrid and Atleti don't bother”

Due to game, style, resources and dominance throughout the season, many believe that LaLiga 2020/21 was Simeone's great work of art, the best of the titles that the Atlético coach has won since he became the rojiblanco coach, even more so even than the league he won in the 2013/14 season. That is probably why there is no better place to present the mattress club with the First Division champion trophy than the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. This League is to Simeone what Guernica is to Picasso, the perfect composition, the mural that represents a whole career of evolution, work and success.

And it is that between Picassos and Mirós, LaLiga held the Champions Gala 2020/21 yesterday, where the successes of the best teams of the year are recognized and the titles of First and Second Division champion are awarded. As is evident, the protocols to prevent COVID-19 made the event a less glamorous and crowded act compared to previous editions but lacking in great personalities of Spanish football. Among them, Iker Casillas and LaLiga ambassadors Fernando Sanz and Fernando Morientes. Of course, the representatives of the most important teams were not lacking.

On the red carpet, Enrique Cerezo, president of Atlético Madrid, who was in charge of collecting his team's trophy, and Francisco Rufete, Espanyol's sports director, who went up to the stage to receive in hand the title of Second Division champion.. Along with the winners, Emilio Butragueño also attended, on behalf of Real Madrid and representatives of the teams that have risen in category, such as the president of Rayo Vallecano Martín Presa, Amadeo Salvo, president of Ibiza, and Diego Martínez, his counterpart in the Burgos.

The badminton world champion Carolina Marín and the singer Camilo were also seen at the Reina Sofía, as well as at the gala, presented by David Broncano and Susana Guash, Gary Lineker participated telematically, who this year will be the commentator of LaLiga matches on the official channels of the organization, and Gerard Piqué, who between joke and joke with Broncano (they know each other from La Resistencia) took the opportunity to send a message to his fans for next season: “I hope Madrid and Atleti don't bother …”.

Pique

The Barcelona player insisted that they are still “waiting for Messi to sign the renewal” with the Blaugrana team and said that he hopes he is “convinced” to continue wearing the culé shirt: “We are waiting for Messi to sign the renewal and to have him with us. I don't think it is necessary (to convince him), I hope he is convinced.”

Asked about other questions, the Barça center-back recalled that last season was not good. “Last year was not the best of years for us. It is true that we won the Cup but if we do not win LaLiga or the Champions League, it is not a good year and this season we are going with great enthusiasm. LaLiga is the basis of everything during the season. If we are well in the League, we will go through phases in the other titles and we will be able to reach March or April with options to win them all “, snapped Piqué.

In relation to the preseason, which this Saturday continues for Barça with a friendly against Stuttgart, the culé player said in a jocular tone that preseason games are no longer played against teams of lower category to gain confidence. “That was done before, when the coach (Koeman) played and they went to Holland and won 0-30. Now every game is serious and we play against Stuttgart and I understand that it will be a competitive game”he commented.

“I have the same enthusiasm from the first year, we want to start well, get good dynamics because normally when we win the League it is because we get into a good rhythm and we are ahead with points. From here we know it and we will try to make that Real Madrid and Atlético do not bother “, he stressed.

Finally, in relation to the possible return of the public, he said that “that's what it seems.” “I hope we are playing with the public, we hope it is like that because it is great news that people return to the stadiums,” Piqué concluded.

Messi case

Lately and for obvious reasons, almost always when Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, is put a microphone in front of him, it is inevitable that he will be asked about Messi's participation in the Spanish championship next season. “I have no information about it. I talk to Barcelona and ask how things are going and they tell me that they trust that such a player will leave and such will stay to balance the accounts, but at no time do we talk about changing the rules of LaLiga to make Messi stay “, Tebas asserted, who clarified that he thinks Messi will stay at Barça due to his conversations with Joan Laporta, who has conveyed to him that things “are going well.”