MADRID, 6 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernández, was moved this Saturday with the farewell of Gerard Piqué and appealed to his “personality” and “leadership” to say goodbye to a player whose legacy “goes beyond football”, although he criticized the whistles that part of his fans launched against the center-back in previous games.
“The legacy that Piqué leaves goes beyond football, it is his personality, his way of competing, his greatness. He leaves behind a very important leadership and I have told the squad so. It is a very important night for Piqué, he will take it to the grave and he has earned it. I am very happy for him because he has played very well and also for the team, three points and a great feeling”, he said at a press conference after the 2-0 win against Almería.
In this sense, the coach wanted to remember the whistles that part of his fans launched against Piqué in previous games and asked to “reconsider”. “Today everything is beautiful, the game, the performance of the players. I am very happy with the team and also for the tribute to Gerard. But we have to reconsider many times when we whistle at the players. In the end this does not add up, which adds up It is today, many times we do not look with perspective, Piqué is a culé from the cradle and he deserves this goodbye but we have to reconsider, “he settled.
In addition, the one from Terrassa wanted to make it clear that he respects his decision, at the same time that he pointed out that “he has earned it”. “The decision is his, he is the one who has decided to end his sports career and perhaps when he participated the most, it is his decision. They are sensations, it is not easy to decide when because it has happened to me too. You never know when it is time but They are decisions, he has made it and we have to respect it, he has earned it,” he said.
“I have given him a message on a personal level, I have told him what I felt because that way the message is more natural and everything I think has come out. He seems to me a special person and different from the others but who leaves us a very important legacy , of leadership, of courage, of personality and of playing without complexes and that is what the shield requires,” he asserted.
Finally, regarding the future without Gerard Piqué, the culé coach expressed confidence in his current squad and hopes that his departure “is not noticeable in terms of football”. “Without wishing to compare, we have four very good central defenders, the ones that remain are a guarantee and they have my full confidence, we hope that his departure from football is not noticed, it will be noticed in the locker room,” he considered.
“Memories come to you when you see images, we are talking about the best time of the club and Gerard has been part of it and it makes me nostalgic. But we have to think about the present and repeat that story again. We are in it so that the joys return to the Catalans and proof of this is today’s performance”, he concluded.