In the press conference prior to the match against Almería, Xavi answered 22 questions out of a total of 25 related to Piqué’s goodbyewhom he described as one of the “best central defenders in this sport”.
“I went through a similar situation and it is normal to take a step aside. He had a contract and deciding to leave it is a gesture of greatness. He is a club legend and deserves to be recognized like that,” recalled the Catalan coach.
In any case, Xavi admitted that “it is not easy to manage” a situation like Piqué’s, who did not reproach him for anything and praised his commitment to the locker room.
I went through a similar situation and it is normal to take a step to the side
“I don’t know if I have been fair or not, but I have been sincere and honest. Gerard has been an example for the team, for the youngsters, the coaching staff. I was honest with him and now the circumstances have marked that he has put an end to it” , he added.
Xavi denied that the relationship with his pupil has weakened in recent months due to the Catalan central defender’s repeated substitutions: “The relationship is the same as before. I simply have to make decisions for the good of the team and the club. When you don’t start a player who has been everything in the club, it’s normal that you don’t like it“.
All in all, Xavi stays with Piqué “brave, competitive, winning, intelligent and involved with what he does”, a person who, in his opinion, “can be whatever he wants” in the future.
Despite the fact that he will play his last game at the Camp Nou, the Barça coach did not confirm whether the star of the night will start -“we’ll see”, he said- and he hopes that his teammates have “extra motivation” to “give him the three points “to his partner.
Likewise, Xavi explained that he is counting on Piqué for the match against Osasuna at El Sadar and admitted that the sports management will study whether to reinforce the defense with a view to the winter market.
Brave, competitive, winner, intelligent and involved with what he does
“He is the one who makes the decision and totally respectable and lawful. It is his life, his career, he has won everything. Any decision he makes is respected. He has earned the right to decide how and when,” he summarized on the Center’s decision.
In the only question he answered about his next rival, Xavi warned of the dangers facing Almería. “Rubi knows us well. It is a team that has a good footing and a lot of speed up front, with a fast transition and very well worked. It is going to complicate us”, he concluded.