Barcelona coach Xavi: Pique legacy goes beyond football; it was his decision

Barcelona coach Xavi was happy giving Gerard Pique a winning farewell last night against Almeria.

Pique played 83 minutes of the 2-0 win after announcing his retirement 24 hours earlier.

Xavi later said: “The legacy that Piqué leaves goes beyond football, it is his personality, his way of competing, his greatness. He leaves a very important leadership and I have told the staff 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.

“Everything is beautiful today, the game, the performance of the players. I am very happy with the team and also for the tribute to Gerard. But you have to reconsider many times when we whistle at footballers. In the end this does not add up, what adds up 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.

“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 also happened to me. You never know when the time is right, but they are decisions, he has made it and we have to respect it, he has earned it.

“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.

“Without the intention of comparing, 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.

“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 you have to think about the present and repeat that story again. We are working on it so that the joys return to the Catalans and proof of this is today’s performance.”