What Gerard Piqué did to get Lionel Messi back to Barça in 2023

Gerard Pique has come good on his long-term promise to Barcelona after confirming his retirement from football – a decision that will reportedly save the club £46million. Pique’s retirement announcement followed claims that the defender had a falling out with Barca boss Xavi over a lack of playing time and a leak of the player's contract at the club by Spanish media outlet El Mundo. 

The 35-year-old had 18 months remaining on his contract, which had been due to end in June 2024. Veteran defender Pique clocked up 615 first-team appearances for the Catalan club but has only started five matches this season due to injuries to other central defenders. The arrivals of Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen this summer pushed him down the pecking order.

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Pique had been long-established as one of the highest-earners at the Camp Nou despite accepting multiple salary deferrals - many of which remained owed to him - and reductions in the past few years. Indeed, it has been highlighted that the remainder of his contract would have set the Catalan club back a whopping £46million.

Those same sources highlighted that Barca had been hopeful for several months that the player would stick to his previous promise of agreeing to leave the club once he falls out of the starting line-up. Pique is previously quoted as saying: “I will retire at Barcelona, but never as a substitute.” Pique posted a video over two minutes in length on Thursday confirming his retirement.

There was only ever Barca

He said, "I have always said that after Barca there would be no other team, and so it will be. This Saturday will be my last game at the Camp Nou. A lot of people have been talking about me for weeks, months. So far, I haven't said anything, but now I'll be the one to talk about me. I've always been from Barcelona. From a young age, I didn't want to be a soccer player, I wanted to be a Barcelona player.