The Barcelona star, one of many few remaining gamers of the now-Manchester Metropolis boss’ success-laden reign at Camp Nou, has mirrored on their bond
Gerard Pique has revealed his relationship with Pep Guardiola “suffered” throughout their remaining season collectively at Barcelona, amid the participant’s relationship with Shakira and his supervisor’s rivalry with Jose Mourinho.
The defender, one of many few gamers nonetheless with the membership from the now-Manchester Metropolis supervisor’s success-laden time at Camp Nou, says that he now enjoys a fruitful friendship along with his outdated boss a decade on from their remaining season collectively.
However reflecting on their time collectively, the veteran centre-back has admitted that he got here near quitting the Blaugrana throughout a 2011-12 marketing campaign that noticed their bond examined by his love life and Mourinho, then accountable for Actual Madrid.
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“We reached an necessary level of rigidity with him, and with the dressing room typically,” Pique advised La Sotana.
“The rivalry with Jose Mourinho was very exhausting. Pep needed absolute management of the whole lot that occurred.
“I began relationship Shakira and the connection with him modified; now the connection is ideal. I had lots of stress. I felt that in coaching I needed to do the whole lot good.
“If there was a second wherein I considered leaving Barca, it was that season 2011-12. I suffered rather a lot on this final yr with him.”
Pique & Guardiola’s time collectively
Having rejoined the membership the place he performed his youth soccer from Manchester United in 2008, Pique turned a cornerstone of Guardiola’s tenure at Barcelona throughout their first season collectively.
The instant success of a treble-winning marketing campaign topped with Champions League glory set excessive expectations although, solely exacerbated when former Chelsea boss Mourinho took cost of Actual Madrid.
The pressure of Guardiola and Mourinho’s rivalry – culminating in Los Blancos’ 2012 Liga win – pressured the previous right into a year-long sabbatical, whereas Pique subsequently continued as a Barca mainstay with additional triumphs.
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The 34-year-old – who has prompt he’ll stay with Barca till he retires – will look to assist the membership drive additional up the desk when the season resumes following the September worldwide break.
Ronald Koeman’s facet lie fourth in La Liga, as they appear to again up final yr’s Copa del Rey triumph with additional success in a post-Lionel Messi period.
Guardiola, in the meantime, will proceed to try to mount a defence of his facet’s Premier League title, after recovering from a gap weekend loss to Tottenham.