Pique ‘convinced’ about treble

Gerard Pique is sure Barcelona can win the Champions League and complete the treble but insists the squad isn’t getting ahead of itself.

Barca beat Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, completing the second leg of a potential treble after success in the League.

Juventus are on the brink of the treble too, however, after clinching Serie A and the Coppa Italia, and Pique is well aware of the task facing the team when the sides meet in Berlin this weekend.

“I don’t know what the odds are but as I see the team and the desire we have I’m convinced we can do it,” the centre-back said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

“But we’re keeping our feet on the ground. We know Juventus is a very tough opponent. Everyone makes us favourites but we know it will be difficult and very complicated.

“I remember the European Super Cup in 2009 against Shakhtar Donetsk when we needed extra time, the 2009 Cup final against Athletic when they were ahead, and the Club World Cup against Estudiantes.

“There are a lot of situations we can’t control, where we don’t know what will happen and we will have to deal with them as we have done throughout the year.

“What is clear is that we expect Juve to play on the break with Carlos Tevez, who we already know, and Alvaro Morata, who showed against Real Madrid he’s at a very good level of form.

“In midfield they have players like Paul Pogba, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo, players of a high level. And in defence they have numbers and quality with a lot of power.”

Pique elaborated on Tevez and Morata, having played with the former at Manchester United and against the latter when Morata was at Madrid.

“I got on alright with Tevez. Our English wasn’t the best and we had a good relationship,” he recalled.

“I also got along with Patrice Evra, who spoke Italian, and with Cristiano Ronaldo…We had a good little group that spoke Spanish.

“Tevez is a player with great character, very talented, a winner. He’s very difficult to stop.

“Will beating Barca mean more to Morata? No, winning a Champions League final is the ultimate at club level, and that means more than everything else.

“The final is what it is. I would like to have a Madrid-Barca final for what it represents, the rivalry of the two clubs. I hope that final happens. If we can play more Champions League finals, I’d like one to be against Madrid.”

The subject of Madrid led Pique to a discussion about Spain colleague Iker Casillas, and his future at Santiago Bernabeu.

“I don’t know exactly what is happening. From the outside I look on with a bit of disbelief, not knowing why that is the situation,” he admitted.

“I have a very good relationship with Iker. I don’t know what the solution is but it doesn’t change the fact he has been a great goalkeeper, and an example as captain of a great institution in Real Madrid.”

Tags Pique
La Liga - Club News