Gerard Piqué and Iker Casillas met in the first episode of ‘Bajo los Palos by Flexicar’ – the new podcast of the former Real Madrid goalkeeper – to discuss various issues of Spanish football today and different aspects of their respective careers. Gerard Piqué, known for speaking his mind, made some striking statements:
Gerard Piqué spoke about the new generation of Barça players and surprisingly claimed that they have emerged due to the club’s economic situation: “I don’t know if Cubarsí would be playing, Balde I don’t know, Gavi… It’s more out of necessity than trust. My feeling is that Lamine wouldn’t be playing in our generation. Now he has exploded and is a potential Ballon d’Or winner, although it’s not about putting pressure on the kid either. I know him and he is a 10 as a person. La Masia is our hallmark and our DNA, in sporting terms I think we are covered and in the next 2-3 years many titles can be won, but economically we are in a very complicated situation. The question is, what importance does this have for the member?”. Regarding this economic situation, the Catalan stated that it is complex: “The situation is complicated. Football at Barça is very emotional. It doesn’t matter if the club has debt or loses so many millions, it only matters if the ball goes in or not. Barça will have to become a corporation because it can no longer cope. It seems that debt is not a priority for the member as long as the ball keeps going in”.
Regarding the boos with the national team: “I exaggerated it twentyfold”
One of the most interesting topics of the interview was Piqué’s time with the Spanish national team and the boos he received. The former footballer claimed that this situation was caused by the media: “The issue of the National Team is very simple, I took a position that Catalonia had the right to decide. From there, a campaign began that every time I was with the National Team, the first thing the media did was ask people in the streets if I deserved to be booed and called up. That creates noise”. Even so, the defender admitted to exaggerating the situation: “People didn’t know why they were booing, there was a moment when it stopped and then it happened again. It affected me zero. In your career, when you start young, you experience everything with great intensity. Everything affects you, also your family. Both the positive and the negative. As the years go by you create a shell to protect yourself. It’s healthy, otherwise you end up crazy. I exaggerated that twentyfold. There came a point when it was absolute indifference. I thought people were actors. I didn’t care at all what they said and that they booed me”.
Referring to his retirement from the national team, Piqué says he did it for the good of the national team: “There came a point when I realized that my being there was penalizing the team. I said, ‘You know what Gerard? That’s it. You’ve won everything, you try to do your best, but you are the center of attention when the team doesn’t need it. But that’s it, step aside’. I could have competed for much longer, but I stepped aside”. A decision that, in the long run, he valued positively: “When you leave the National Team you realize that you have had a very intense pace of life. You start to have free weeks that give you life, you can travel and disconnect… those luxuries extend your career. I wouldn’t have reached 36 if I hadn’t left the National Team”.
“Football itself no longer excited me”
Among other topics, Piqué also spoke about his retirement from professional football: “Football itself no longer excited me, I was only excited to continue at Barça, in my home, with my family… I didn’t see myself not playing for the club of my life and being a burden. I was always a starter and I always felt important and I felt that when that didn’t happen, I would leave. I had always thought that way. It was 15 years that I was at the club, I always thought that way, no matter the moment, the situation. When I don’t feel like a starter, I’m going to leave because I don’t need to keep playing, I’ve given everything, I’ve won everything and I don’t want to be a burden for the club. That time comes, I talked a lot with Puyi, I was afraid of the day after, you hang up your boots and your whole life changes. The idea of the Kings League appeared, I didn’t think it would go as well as it did, I already had Kosmos, and that was my path”.
Finally, he left the door open to a possible presidency of FC Barcelona: “If the club needs it, I will be president of FC Barcelona”.