Gerard Pique believes there are ‘no favourites’ heading into this weekend’s Clásico.
Sunday sees Barcelona and Real Madrid renew their rivalry at Camp Nou in the first instalments of El Clásico this season.
Heading into the game, one could be forgiven for thinking Real Madrid are clear favourites given what has happened at Barcelona over the course of the summer and this season.
Be it the departure of Lionel Messi, the financial crisis or the ongoing pressure on Ronald Koeman, the ‘sensations’, as they say in Spanish, haven’t been all that great around Camp Nou.
But the league table tells another story, the two sides separated by just two points heading into this game, and in any case, form matters very little heading into a Clásico, or at least that’s according to Pique.
“In a Clásico, you come in as equals, there are no favourites,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
“The Clásico is totally separate from the dynamics. We have had some moments of crisis, but we are recovering.
“We both arrive with quite similar dynamics.”
Pique also spoke about how he is feeling at Camp Nou, now more than 13 years into his second spell at the club.
“It’s certain that with age, when you have lived everything, you look a little for stability,” he added.
“I am very happy, with my family and with the team.
“I keep the ‘rebel’ Gerard, but I am enjoying. There is little left and I want to enjoy it.”