Piqué, nightmare comeback

Piqué wanted to play at all costs against Paris Saint Germain. He shortened the recovery times from his right knee injury and, around his birthday on February 2, he glimpsed that he could be on time. It was one of his wishes for his 34th anniversary, But the dream of getting to face PSG ended in a nightmare.

Looking unbeatable and without symptoms of the injury, Piqué turned up extra motivated to the game. Wanting to quickly catch sensations, to speak and to order. To give an air of more level to the defense of Barça, which demanded hierarchy loudly. But he also realized early that the night would present difficulties. PSG was more aggressive than Barça, especially when there was balance (four fouls by Barça in the first half, ten by PSG). And above he had three demons in Kean, Icardi and, especially, in Mbappé

Piqué saw the first seams at 1-1. He was late to Verratti's touch and put the red carpet for Mbappé, who was not stopped by Lenglet either. Minutes later, the episode with Griezmann arrived. Piqué reproached the midfielders and forwards for not having the ball anymore to protect themselves with long possessions. The Frenchman replied, warning him that everyone was running and suffering. It was still an episode of logical tension in a game, but it was the best sign that Barça felt overwhelmed after the draw. In the PSG transitions, but also in the stopped balls. Piqué defended the corners as the axis of the defense, without marking the man and in the center of the small area. He was late to an auction from Icardi, which was out of a miracle.

The second part was an ordeal for Barça. And also for Piqué, who was immortalized in that photo desperately grabbing Mbappé's shirt, who was leaving him. A symbolic image of a new time that reminded the center-back, crawling behind Iñaki Williams and grabbing his shirt in the Cup quarterfinals last year at San Mamés. With the difference that the speaker of the Champions is greater. And that the image will be immortalized by that historic cover of L'Equipe, which will remain to be remembered after the shocking 1-4 that PSG signed at the Camp Nou.

With less than a quarter of an hour to go, Koeman decided to shelve Piqué's reappearance and replaced him, as he himself admitted at the end, to minimize risks in view of what still lies ahead. The reappearance had ended in a nightmare.