“We had a private conversation before the season and I communicated all my intentions to him. It was one of the hardest days for me,” the Barça coach acknowledged
In the Barca environment, he was expected to know first hand Xavi’s impression of the surprising announcement of Gerard Pique’s immediate withdrawal and the truth is that the Catalan coach has handled the delicate situation with common sense. The spotlight is pointing to him as the man who demoted the centre-back to the bench and may have forced him to speed up his farewell, but instead of laying warm towels on the situation, he explained normally, acknowledging that he was being honest with him. the player about his intentions in the summer and that circumstances have accelerated this unexpected outcome.
“He deserves all the credit, I was lucky enough to be his partner. Unfavorable circumstances made him decide to stop. I’ve been through a similar situation and it’s normal to step aside. He had a contract and the decision to leave is a great gesture. He is a legend of the club and deserves to be recognized as such.”
“We had a private conversation before the season and I communicated all my intentions to him. It was one of the hardest days for me. It was my partner and you feel very bad. I’ve been through the same,” the Barca coach acknowledged. “I don’t know if I’ve been honest or not, what I do know is that I’ve been honest with Gerard,” he added with a clear conscience.
Only time will tell whether the relationship between those who were once teammates has deteriorated or if, on the contrary, what happened is assumed by both sides as a purely football issue. “The relationship is the same as before. I have to make decisions for the sake of Barça and in the end if you don’t start someone who has been everything to the club it’s normal that you don’t like it,” Xavi appreciated in this regard.
“It’s time to decide things that aren’t pleasant, as a coach and as a person. You have to make drastic decisions, which you don’t always like, but you have to look for the good of the club,” he acknowledged, aware of the weight of his decisions and the responsibility that comes with the position.
In this context, the duel between Barça and Almería at the Camp Nou has faded into the background and will be completely dominated by Pique’s farewell. “We’ll see… We’ll see tomorrow,” the Barca coach replied with a smile, after being questioned about Pique’s possible ownership in what will be his last game at the Camp Nou.
“It’s a certainty he has, he doesn’t feel good enough. He has been an example for the captains and for the young players since I became a coach. Often we don’t choose the end, but it is the circumstances that mark the way for us. He has pulled the car and when he has played he has always been competitive,” he finally praised.
Source: La Verdad

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