With Gerard Pique having now retired from football, Barcelona have lost a club legend that had been at the club for the last 15 years.
He previously left the Blaugrana in 2004 for Manchester United, before rejoining in 2008. From then, he made 615 appearances and won numerous honours, which included eight La Liga titles and three Champions League crowns.
Pique announced his retirement earlier in the season, and played his final match for the club against Almeria at the start of November as captain in a 2-0 win.
The 35-year-old was highly regarded by many at the club, perhaps none more so than by president Joan Laporta. When speaking to Barca TV today, Laporta expressed his side at having been in charge of the club whilst Pique was a player, as per Sport.
“I am proud to have been the president of Pique. He behaved extraordinarily with Barca and with all of us.
It was a complicated season. Sportingly, it was going to be more difficult, but he, as a winner, believed he could hold on longer, but he was not counted on as much as he thought.”
Laporta was also keen to affirm that Pique would always been welcome at the club.
“He had a great career at the club and he knows that it is his home. We are here for him, whatever he needs”.
