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Tag: Gerard Pique

  • Barcelona strike late to set club record

    Gerard Pique scored a late equaliser as Barcelona drew at Espanyol to set a club record of 22 games unbeaten at the start of the La Liga season.

    Philippe Coutinho hit the bar in the first half before Gerard Moreno’s header gave city rivals Espanyol the lead midway through the second.

    With only eight minutes left, defender Pique headed home substitute Lionel Messi’s free-kick.

    The draw extended Barcelona’s lead at top of the table to 12 points.

    Pique, who was booed throughout by the home fans, angered them further by raising his finger to his lips to celebrate his equaliser.

    Barcelona beat Espanyol to reach the Spanish Cup semi-finals last week, after which Pique described their rivals as “Espanyol de Cornella” in reference to the suburb where they play.

    There was little drama early in heavy rain at the RCDE Stadium, where Espanyol have not beaten Barca in a league game, until Coutinho curled a shot from the edge of the box against the underside of the bar.

    The hosts responded with Leo Baptistao dispossessing Andres Iniesta before firing straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and the Brazilian striker also headed over from a Marc Navarro cross.

    Barcelona’s Luis Suarez curled a free-kick narrowly over, although Espanyol thought they had scored in the first minute of the second half when the ball had gone out before Baptistao cut back for Esteban Granero to convert.

    Messi came on in the 59th minute but seven minutes later Baptistao won the ball in midfield and Sergio Garcia whipped a superb right-wing cross into the box, where Moreno got behind Pique to head home his 12th goal of the season.

    But from Messi’s free-kick deep on the left wing, Pique scored to take Barca past the 21-game unbeaten run set by Pep Guardiola’s side in 2009-10.

     

    BBC

  • Shakira wants Gerard Pique, to leave Barcelona for Chelsea or Arsenal

    Singer, Shakira wants her partner and father of two kids, Gerard Pique to leave Barcelona as soon as possible and join a London club, preferably Chelsea or Arsenal.

    According to Spanish website, Don Balon, the player could leave Barcelona after damaging his reputation among Spanish supporters who dislike him because of his vocal support for Catalonia- a region in north-eastern Spain seeking independence from Spain.

    Pique, 29, has been in Barcelona since leaving Manchester United in 2008, winning 26 major trophies for club and country, but his vocal criticism of Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Spanish state has landed him in hot water, and Shakira, his partner since 2010 is tired of the whole drama.

    The report claims that Shakira wants to move to London with Pique’s comments about Spain and Catalonia having a bad effect on her singing career, as fans in Spain associate her every move with the footballer’s comments.

    According to the report, Pique could favor a move to Chelsea due to his close friend, Fabregas’ presence at the club, and Shakira will prefer London, as it’s a good place to also help with her musical business plans.