Barcelona’s Gerard Pique, immense but divisive for Spain, finally snapped over unfair treatment

In this week's column, Andy Mitten focuses on Gerard Pique after the Barcelona defender announced his international retirement.

Spain defender Gerard Pique reacts during the World Cup qualifier against Italy last week. Marco Bertorello / AFP / October 6, 2016

Gerard Pique has finally had enough. Unlike Lionel Messi, who announced his retirement from international football in the heat of the moment after Argentina's Copa America campaign in July only to return after a brief hiatus, Pique has said he has long thought about his decision to quit after the 2018 World Cup.

The 2010 World Cup winning defender will be 31 in Russia and playing at his third World Cup. Playing another tournament at 35 would be a big ask, but Pique, the only Spaniard to play every minute of the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European championship success, could clearly continue beyond 31.

Pique, an intelligent man who has voiced his balanced opinions on subjects including Catalan independence, has been booed by Spain fans when the national team play around the country. Without a national stadium, they alternate venues — though they very rarely play in Catalonia.

Pique is the pantomime villain for the many Spaniards who support Real Madrid, either as their first or second team. He is the one who has a go at Madrid with humour and intelligence on social media. It's tame stuff when judged against some fan comments, but Pique isn't a fan and his comments carry more weight. What he often intends as humour is an affront to those without a sense of humour. But that is club rivalry stuff — he never speaks ill of Spain.

Though he identifies more with Catalonia than Spain, he has been excellent for the national team in his 85 caps. Yet during Sunday’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win in Albania, he was accused by fans of cutting off Spain’s colours from his long sleeved shirt. It was wishful thinking on the part of his detractors — there were no Spain colours on that shirt.

Sergio Ramos wore exactly the same shirt, yet Pique got another torrent of abuse and his patience finally snapped. The website of AS, a Madrid based Spanish newspaper, helped fan the flames, which Pique saw when he walked back into the dressing room.

“I have tried everything, but I can’t bear this any more,” he said in a statement. “Today’s issue of the sleeves is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. They’ve managed to make me lose the excitement of coming here and although after Russia I’ll only be 31, I’ll leave.”

Pique feels unloved and unwanted by Spain, who will lose one of football's best defenders in a position where they are not as well stocked as in other areas of the field. Other Barcelona players, including Xavi and Carles Puyol, had to be persuaded to stay in the international team after they too wanted to retire. Puyol was similarly criticised in 2007 after casually folding the tops of his socks down during a game, an action which obscured the red and yellow of Spain.

“Anyone would think he ripped the badge off his chest, everyone knows that he goes out to defend the colours of the Spain team,” Xavi said of Pique.

The Spanish Federation has offered some support for Pique, explaining that the version of the shirt he wore didn't have the colours of Spain on the trim. The editor of AS apologised too for the part his newspaper's website played in the story. He hoped Pique will change his mind, others including his manager do too.

Pique has many supporters, but some detractors want to drag Spain backwards. For decades, regional differences and club rivalries were a major obstacle to Spain’s always gifted group of players winning anything. The Madrid, Barca and Basque players would be mutually suspicious and cliques thrived in a country which has four recognised languages.

It is a shame, for Pique has been one who has contributed much to the excellent atmosphere in Spain’s dressing room, where players meet in the captain’s room at 11pm the night before every international game to talk through how things are going.

“The relationships are really good, why can’t we continue like this?” Pique states in an interview to be broadcast on Spanish TV on Thursday. Because too many Spaniards can’t see beyond club tribalism and, with social media, have an opportunity to say exactly what they want in an instant.

Ramos remains a colossus

Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez announced plans for the redevelopment of the Bernabeu on Tuesday. A €400 million (Dh1.63 billion) development — partly offset with naming rights to energy company Cepsa, which will finance the project — will see a minimal rise in the capacity to 82,000, a retractable roof and outer skin which will make the venue look as striking as when it was remodelled for the 1982 World Cup finals.

Whether that represents value for money remains moot, but with Barca expanding Camp Nou and Atletico Madrid building a new home, Spain is experiencing significant stadium construction. Unlike their competitors, Madrid have limited space around their home and will move their club offices to the training ground to free up more room for stadium facilities. Expect more cash generating executive facilities, a bigger club museum and maybe a hotel, but Madrid had to change their original plans before finding agreement with the local authorities.

With work set to start next year, Sergio Ramos should get to play at the new Bernabeu. The defender, 30, is now in his thirteenth season at the club since joining from Sevilla as a teenager. A captain for club and country, he has won everything there is to win for Madrid and Spain — most famously scoring in time added on during the 2014 Uefa Champions League final to keep his team in the game.

Much of Madrid’s success has been because of their stable defence. Ramos, Marcelo and Pepe have been the mainstays since 2007/08, 10 seasons which have seen Madrid win two European Cups. No Madrid team in history has enjoyed such defensive stability and all three have weighed in with goals, Ramos with 44, Marcelo with 19 and Pepe with 12.

Ramos, who has played 140 times for Spain, has not had the best start to this season. After falling awkwardly in the 80th minute of Spain’s victory in Albania on Sunday, he left the field with a grade two tear of his medial collateral ligament which will keep him out for six weeks. That will mean he misses four Primera Liga games, including the derby against league leaders Atletico.

In his previous Spain game against Italy last Thursday, Ramos’s side were on target to inflict Italy’s first qualifying match defeat in 52 matches going back to 2006. That was until he tripped Eder to see a penalty awarded after Spain had dominated. He was also in a clash with Riccardo Montolivo which saw the Italian suffer cruciate ligament damage.

Despite errors and injury, he remains a colossus for club and country. And while they will miss him, Madrid fans will take some solace: they have not lost any of the 20 games Ramos has missed since last season.

Game of the week — Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad

The principal Basque derby. Athletic drew at home last season and lost away, but they’re currently the top Basque team. Sixth in the table, La Real are 9th, with the other Basque teams Eibar and Alaves 8th and 12th.

Real Madrid are at Real Betis, Barça host Deportivo La Coruna while leaders Atletico are at home to winless and bottom of the table Granada.

Player of the week — Koke

Atletico Madrid’s Koke played 90 minutes in both of Spain’s World Cup qualifiers in Italy and Albania. Against Italy, he was the best midfielder in a game where Spain dominated 72% of possession, passing accurately and causing a threat. Spain weren’t as impressive against Albania, but the win was — and Koke was again at the heart of their creativity.

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