Barcelona continued their excellent start to the domestic campaign by securing a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Almeria, which happened to be Gerard Pique’s last game for the club.
Pique was given a grand farewell, with Barcelona players also heaping praise on the veteran defender due to his years of service to the club.
Jordi Alba, a longtime teammate of Pique at Barcelona, labelled Pique’s retirement a difficult moment for the club. He also said he had no idea of the defender’s decision to retire beforehand.
“I didn’t know Piqué was going to announce it,” Alba said. “It’s unfortunate. A very important player in the dressing room leaves. We will try to dedicate titles for Piqué this season.“
Another Barcelona defender in Andreas Christensen, who famously replaced Pique as a substitute in the latter stages of the game, also hailed the veteran for his contributions to the team over the years
“As I said, it is a sad night. We have to congratulate him on a great journey. I’ve been following Piqué since I was young and I’ve considered him a role model. I will miss him a lot,” he said.
“It was a beautiful night with the win but a sad one for Pique’s last one. He was an important player for us & a great character. He leaves a huge void in the club,” he added.
Ousmane Dembele, meanwhile, was asked about his celebration after his goal. The Frenchman, who was one of the scorers of the night, claims he is a fan of NBA legend Stephen Curry.
“I like the celebration. I watch Steph Curry a lot. I knew the goal was coming,” he said.
