In response to Gerard Pique’s announcement of his retirement, La Liga president Javier Tebas asserted that he envisions the seasoned defender eventually leading the Catalan club.
Pique announced late on Thursday that he will retire soon and that tomorrow’s match against UD Almeria will be his final at-home contest with the Blaugrana.
The 35-year-abrupt old’s statement nonetheless came as a big shock, despite the fact that he has seen his role in the side decline. However, the seasoned center-half insisted that he would eventually return to the team in some manner, so it was not truly a farewell.
Tebas has also given Pique his support in his aspirations to lead Barcelona in the future. The La Liga president stated the following to COPE (via ESPN):
“I am certain. He possesses three criteria to become president of Barcelona. He has spent 25 years working for the club. He is familiar with both the playing and commercial sides of the sports and football industries.
“Piqué is a legend of the club,” says Xavi.
Tebas emphasized Pique’s qualifications for the position by saying, “He realizes they are quite different sides. He has got corporate decision-making experience, with both success and failure, and he has the potential to be a fantastic president of Barcelona. I think he can. I think he’s capable of doing it.
Tebas stated, “He is quite young, and he has many years to become president of Barcelona. He is aware that you must have the necessary experience to serve as president of one of the largest clubs, if not the top two clubs in the world.
Pique has expressed a desire to lead Barcelona in the future while also co-owning the Spanish lower-division team FC Andorra.
For the time being, he will, without a doubt, receive a raucous welcome from the supporters and will be hoping to put on a strong performance in his farewell game at Camp Nou on Saturday night.
