Barcelona chief praises Gerard Pique
Today, Barcelona’s sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has singled Gerard Pique out for praise following his match-winning performance in the 2-1 La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid.
The 2010 FIFA World Cup winner made the difference in Barcelona’s first victory at the Vicente Calderon Stadium since Pep Guardiola became first-team coach two years ago.
After Lionel Messi’s opener was cancelled out by Raul Garcia, defender Pique found himself at Atletico’s end of the pitch, where he chested down the ball before firing it home for the winning goal.
At his own end of the pitch, the Spaniard pulled off a terrific defensive performance to ensure Barcelona returned to Catalonia with all three points in the bag.
Zubizarreta told reporters that he was pleased with the team’s performance in the match, as well as that of Pique in particular. He said that, “The team has managed to keep control of the game and our work has been very good. It was very important to keep
possession for as much as possible. We are very lucky to have a squad and we are able to do many things. Pique is a great defender, but he also has the soul of a forward.”
Despite his praise for his team, Zubizarreta had more stern words for goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who he believed to be at fault for Atletico’s equaliser. He said that, “Valdes always helps out a lot every time he plays. This time he started very well, but
did not take the half-step required to allow him to prevent Raul Garcia’s header.”
The win means that Barcelona has moved up to sixth place in the La Liga standings, three points behind surprise leaders Valencia. Their next match will see them play Sporting de Gijon at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.
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