Gerard Piqué says goodbye at home against Almería
BARCELONA, 4 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona hosts UD Almería this Saturday at the Camp Nou, in a match from matchday 13 of LaLiga Santander, with Gerard Piqué as the absolute protagonist when announcing on Thursday that he is retiring and that he will play his last duel in front of his fans, to whom He has given 30 titles in just over 14 seasons.
Without a doubt, Gerard Hammered will be the center of attention. By surprise, he announced on his social networks that he is leaving football after fulfilling his childhood dreams. And that he will say goodbye to his fans, at his home in the Camp Nou, this Saturday. So this LaLiga match becomes the party for the Masia central defender.
Xavi Hernández pointed out that the central defender will still be active until the break and that he could play against Osasuna next week. However, the Camp Nou will no longer see its best central defender play -the most successful- beyond this duel in which the ‘culés’ will have the extra motivation of trying to win to make one last gift to Piqué, who so many happiness has given to the club.
The preview of this match was going to be very different. They had to talk about the visit of the recently promoted Almería, from the worst visiting team and who arrives trained by a Rubi who left good impressions as an assistant coach at Can Barça. You had to look at the past duels, at the current form of both teams, but ‘Geri’, again, overshadows everything.
There is still no tribute planned by the Blaugrana club, which wants Piqué to say goodbye as and when he wants. So, the fans who attend this duel in the Blaugrana fief will be able to express their feelings towards Piqué freely. Xavi asked that he be honored and valued as a legend, that he be applauded and paid homage.
But he did not want to reveal if the center-back would be in the game. If you are in the starting eleven, the previous warm-up may already be hot. Perhaps in minute 3, because of his number, there will be something special. And with a predictable change of tribute. On the contrary, if he is on the bench, all that party would take place at the moment of entering the field. We will have to wait, although it seems that everything is going well for him to be a starter.
Although Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia have received medical discharge after overcoming their respective injuries, the lack of filming of both, especially the Dane, may favor Piqué’s ownership. He also returns to the team, after his European suspension, captain Sergio Busquets. And Koundé, Sergi Roberto, Araújo and Memphis will continue to be out, plus a Franck Kessié injured in Pilsen with an injury to the biceps femoris of his left thigh.
Despite these absences, the Blaugrana eleven would have players who rested in the continental process in Pilsen, such as Robert Lewandowski, who is the team’s and LaLiga’s top scorer (13 goals in 12 games) and who, next week, will receive the Golden Boot award as top continental filmmaker last season.
Beyond Piqué’s goodbye, the game is key for a Barça that if it wins could become the provisional leader and thus put pressure on Real Madrid, which does not play until Monday. In addition, there are two games left before the break for the World Cup and adding the 6 points at stake is vital for Xavi Hernández’s team, still touched by the elimination in the ‘Champions’ in the group stage, for the second consecutive year.
For its part, Almería goes to the Camp Nou without emergencies in terms of classification, being thirteenth and with several teams in between regarding relegation, which, however, is 3 points away. Of course, they want and need to improve as visitors, as they are the worst team in the category in this regard with only one draw achieved away from home.
Rubi’s team, who returns to the Camp Nou after being second coach to Tito Vilanova and Gerardo Martino, come from beating Celta (3-1) and with nothing to lose. History says that of the 12 games played in the First Division against Barça, 10 have been wins for the Catalans and the rest have been draws. He still doesn’t know how to win Almería against Barça.
The people from Almeria arrive in Barcelona without Juanjo Nieto and with doubts from Iván Martos, Milovanovic and Centelles, as well as Embarba who had to be substituted against Celta last day but who is already training with the group. DATA SHEET.
FC BARCELONA: Ter Stegen; Bellerin, Pique, Marcos Alonso, Balde; Busquets, Gavi, Of Jong; Dembele, Lewandowski and Pedri.
UD ALMERIA: Fernando; Mendes, Chumi, Babic, Ely, Akieme; Of the Sickle, Milero, Robertone; Baptistao and Touré.
–REFEREE: González Fuertes (C. Asturiano).
— STADIUM: Camp Nou.
