Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-will-retire-at-barcelona-gerard-pique-drops-a-major-hint-on-his-future-411579" hreflang="en">'I will retire at Barcelona': Gerard Pique drops a major hint on his future</a>

The star defender returned to Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008 and went on to win three LaLiga titles and had two Champions League cups in the next four years under Guardiola.

But Pique's ties with Guardiola had taken a hit in his (Pep Guardiola) last year as Barca coach.&nbsp;

"We reached a moment of tension with him, not just me but the dressing room in general," Pique told La Sotana on Monday.

"The rivalry with Jose Mourinho [at Real Madrid] wore us down a lot. Pep wanted absolute control over everything that was happening.

"I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed. Now, the relationship is perfect. But there was a lot of pressure on me then. I felt like I had to do everything in training perfectly.

"If there was a moment I thought about leaving Barca, it was that [2011-12] season. I struggled in that last season with Guardiola."

Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira.

Gerard Pique talked about his relationship with former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. He revealed that his ties with the Spaniard changed when he started dating Colombian singer Shakira. ALSO READ: 'I will retire at Barcelona': Gerard Pique drops a major hint on his future The star defender returned to Barcelona from Manchester United in 2008 and went on to win three LaLiga titles and had two Champions League cups in the next four years under Guardiola. But Pique's ties with Guardiola had taken a hit in his (Pep Guardiola) last year as Barca coach. "We reached a moment of tension with him, not just me but the dressing room in general," Pique told La Sotana on Monday. "The rivalry with Jose Mourinho [at Real Madrid] wore us down a lot. Pep wanted absolute control over everything that was happening. "I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed. Now, the relationship is perfect. But there was a lot of pressure on me then. I felt like I had to do everything in training perfectly. "If there was a moment I thought about leaving Barca, it was that [2011-12] season. I struggled in that last season with Guardiola."

'I started dating Shakira and our relationship changed': Gerard Pique on Pep Guardiola

FC Barcelona on Thursday announced that their star defender Gerard Pique sustained a knee ligament sprain.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/barcelona-reach-copa-final-with-epic-comeback-win-over-sevilla-367999" hreflang="en">Barcelona reach Copa final with epic comeback win over Sevilla</a>

Pique has already missed three months earlier this season due to a knee problem. He also scored a last-minute equaliser to send Barca's Copa del Rey semi-final with Sevilla to extra time on Wednesday and eventually winning the tie 3-0 after extra time, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit.

"The medical assessment and tests performed this morning have shown that first-team player Gerard Pique has a sprain in the internal lateral ligament of his right knee. He is therefore unavailable and the evolution of the injury will determine when he returns," a club statement read

The 34-year-old defender has just featured in 15 matches for his club this season due to injuries and many Spanish media reports suggest that he could be on the sidelines for another three weeks.&nbsp;

Barcelona will be facing Paris Saint Germain next Wednesday in their Champions League last-16 second leg, trailing 4-1 from the first meeting last month.

(Agency inputs)

FC Barcelona on Thursday announced that their star defender Gerard Pique sustained a knee ligament sprain. ALSO READ: Barcelona reach Copa final with epic comeback win over Sevilla Pique has already missed three months earlier this season due to a knee problem.

FC Barcelona on Thursday announced that their star defender Gerard Pique sustained a knee ligament sprain. ALSO READ: Barcelona reach Copa final with epic comeback win over Sevilla Pique has already missed three months earlier this season due to a knee problem. He also scored a last-minute equaliser to send Barca's Copa del Rey semi-final with Sevilla to extra time on Wednesday and eventually winning the tie 3-0 after extra time, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit. "The medical assessment and tests performed this morning have shown that first-team player Gerard Pique has a sprain in the internal lateral ligament of his right knee. He is therefore unavailable and the evolution of the injury will determine when he returns," a club statement read The 34-year-old defender has just featured in 15 matches for his club this season due to injuries and many Spanish media reports suggest that he could be on the sidelines for another three weeks. Barcelona will be facing Paris Saint Germain next Wednesday in their Champions League last-16 second leg, trailing 4-1 from the first meeting last month. (Agency inputs)

FC Barcelona's Gerard  Pique sustains knee ligament sprain: Club

Barcelona defender Gerard&nbsp;Pique&nbsp;admitted his side have a problem with their porous defence after the La Liga leaders were beaten 4-3 at home by Real Betis on Sunday, conceding four times at the Nou Camp for the first time in over 15 years.

Yet the Spanish international, while conceding that all their defenders all needed to improve, was also adamant that the champions' fans should not be worried about the current frailties of the team's rearguard.

Barca trailed 2-0 at halftime and even though Lionel Messi struck twice on his return from injury and Arturo Vidal also scored for the Catalans, Betis became the first side to beat Barca at the Nou Camp since Alaves in September 2016.

"We know we have a problem and that we are conceding a lot of goals, more than we have conceded for a very long time,"&nbsp;Pique&nbsp;told reporters.

"We will almost never be the team that concedes the fewest goals because of our attacking philosophy, but we know we have to improve."

Despite Sunday's defeat, Barca still lead the standings and are one point clear of Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Sevilla, although they have by far the worst defensive record of the top seven teams in the league.

Barca have let in 18 goals in 12 league games, more than 13 teams in La Liga.

"It's not an individual thing, it's a group problem. We have to focus on it and work together,"&nbsp;Pique&nbsp;said.

"It's basic stuff which we know and we have talked about. Today, we faced a very attacking team and we had to take risks.

"I think that, defensively, we all need to improve. Sometimes, we go to press and we don't all go and that leaves a lot of gaps between the lines and teams create a lot of counter-attacks against us.

"Today, for example, we should have stopped their first goal by committing a foul."

Barca have dropped points in five of their 12 games this season, four times against sides in the bottom half of the standings but&nbsp;Pique&nbsp;said fans should not be concerned by the team's form.

"It's true that we are finding it harder to beat teams who, in theory, are smaller than us but I think it's something sporadic and won't happen throughout the season," he said.

"Our fans can relax, we are top of the league. This year, the level of our opponents has risen, you can no longer win the league with 100 points.

"Teams have bigger budgets, better players and they are more competitive and that's better for spectators."

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique admitted his side have a problem with their porous defence after the La Liga leaders were beaten 4-3 at home by Real Betis on Sunday, conceding four times at the Nou Camp for the first time in over 15 years.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique admitted his side have a problem with their porous defence after the La Liga leaders were beaten 4-3 at home by Real Betis on Sunday, conceding four times at the Nou Camp for the first time in over 15 years. Yet the Spanish international, while conceding that all their defenders all needed to improve, was also adamant that the champions' fans should not be worried about the current frailties of the team's rearguard. Barca trailed 2-0 at halftime and even though Lionel Messi struck twice on his return from injury and Arturo Vidal also scored for the Catalans, Betis became the first side to beat Barca at the Nou Camp since Alaves in September 2016. "We know we have a problem and that we are conceding a lot of goals, more than we have conceded for a very long time," Pique told reporters. "We will almost never be the team that concedes the fewest goals because of our attacking philosophy, but we know we have to improve." Despite Sunday's defeat, Barca still lead the standings and are one point clear of Atletico Madrid, Alaves and Sevilla, although they have by far the worst defensive record of the top seven teams in the league. Barca have let in 18 goals in 12 league games, more than 13 teams in La Liga. "It's not an individual thing, it's a group problem. We have to focus on it and work together," Pique said. "It's basic stuff which we know and we have talked about. Today, we faced a very attacking team and we had to take risks. "I think that, defensively, we all need to improve. Sometimes, we go to press and we don't all go and that leaves a lot of gaps between the lines and teams create a lot of counter-attacks against us. "Today, for example, we should have stopped their first goal by committing a foul." Barca have dropped points in five of their 12 games this season, four times against sides in the bottom half of the standings but Pique said fans should not be concerned by the team's form. "It's true that we are finding it harder to beat teams who, in theory, are smaller than us but I think it's something sporadic and won't happen throughout the season," he said. "Our fans can relax, we are top of the league. This year, the level of our opponents has risen, you can no longer win the league with 100 points. "Teams have bigger budgets, better players and they are more competitive and that's better for spectators."

Pique admits Barcelona have defence problems after Betis shock

Police in Spain's prosperous northeastern Catalonia region on Wednesday opened an investigation into a suspected burglary on a house belonging to Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and his partner, international pop star Shakira.&nbsp;

The suspects allegedly took advantage of the stormy weather to enter the house undetected while the parents of the Spain international soccer player, who were house-sitting the property in Esplugues de Llobregat, a well-heeled, leafy neighborhood that is home to several soccer players, were asleep, sources close to the investigation told EFE.

Piqué and Shakira were both in the German city of Cologne at the time, where the best-selling Colombian-Lebanese singer was to give a concert.

"Last night I saw each and every one of your faces from the stage," Shakira said in her Twitter account on Wednesday of her performance in Cologne the previous evening. "I can't forget you! Shak," she added.&nbsp;

The suspected thieves caused no personal damages and the Catalan regional police were considering it a case of non-violent robbery, the sources added.

Piqué has been training with the Spain squad ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

Piqué and Shakira were both in the German city of Cologne at the time, where the best-selling Colombian-Lebanese singer was to give a concert.

Police in Spain's prosperous northeastern Catalonia region on Wednesday opened an investigation into a suspected burglary on a house belonging to Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué and his partner, international pop star Shakira. The suspects allegedly took advantage of the stormy weather to enter the house undetected while the parents of the Spain international soccer player, who were house-sitting the property in Esplugues de Llobregat, a well-heeled, leafy neighborhood that is home to several soccer players, were asleep, sources close to the investigation told EFE. Piqué and Shakira were both in the German city of Cologne at the time, where the best-selling Colombian-Lebanese singer was to give a concert. "Last night I saw each and every one of your faces from the stage," Shakira said in her Twitter account on Wednesday of her performance in Cologne the previous evening. "I can't forget you! Shak," she added. The suspected thieves caused no personal damages and the Catalan regional police were considering it a case of non-violent robbery, the sources added. Piqué has been training with the Spain squad ahead of the World Cup in Russia.

Suspected thieves rob Piqué, Shakira's house in Barcelona

Spain huffed and puffed, making hard work of their Euro 2016 opener before a late Gerard Pique goal blew away the Czech Republic resistance. Yet the win could not conceal the fact that Vicente del Bosque&#39;s champions may be lacking a killer instinct. 
 
Until defender Pique&#39;s crucial late header, the holders were again largely ineffective in front of goal, just as they had been in their 1-0 loss to Georgia in their final warm-up game last week. 
 
Spain had three-quarters of the possession up until the interval and played most of the game in the Czech half, but still did not have the wit or invention to break down their more limited opponents. 
 
By the end, the champions had hit the target just five times in their 17 attempts, with Pique&#39;s 87th-minute header from a superb Andres Iniesta cross eventually sparing them blushes. 
 
It left Spain&#39;s coach Vicente del Bosque with an increasingly familiar headache. &quot;It&#39;s true that we dominate but we still struggle in front of goal,&quot; he sighed afterwards. 
 
The most important thing for the coach was that this was at least an improvement on Spain&#39;s last three opening games at major tournaments: a defeat in the 2014 World Cup by the Netherlands, a draw with Italy in Euro 2012 and a loss in the 2010 World Cup to Switzerland. 
 
They started with a sense of urgency and were most effective when they had David Silva and Jordi Alba stretching the Czech team on the flanks. That enabled them to create the first real opening of the game, with Silva&#39;s cross from the right finding Alvaro Morata in the box but his first-touch shot was kept out by the ever-excellent Petr Cech. 
 
Problems started for Spain when Silva and Alba started drifting inside, flooding the central area of the pitch and making the champions too predictable. 
 
Still, they should have gone into the break ahead but were denied by some terrific work from Cech, who managed to stop Morata twice. 
 
&quot;We would have seen a different game had one of our chances in the opening half gone in,&quot; reckoned Spain captain Sergio Ramos. 
 
Morata was replaced by Aritz Aduriz in the 62nd minute but he could do little with Spain continuing to produce long spells of possession without any incisive intent or penetration. 
 
Eventually, though, one moment of sheer star quality shone through. Andres Iniesta, still a twinkle-toed Fred Astaire of the modern game at 32, unfurled one curling, inch-perfect cross that simply demanded a thumping Pique finish. 
 
&quot;This is who we are,&quot; the Barcelona maestro Iniesta declared afterwards. &quot;We have achieved so much success because of our style of play. We have played games like this one and it&#39;s just a case of trying and trying, until the ball goes in.&quot; 
 
The problem is that the wait for those goals is incerasingly becoming a test of the Spain supporters&#39; nerves and patience.&nbsp;

Gerard Pique ensured a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic

Spain huffed and puffed, making hard work of their Euro 2016 opener before a late Gerard Pique goal blew away the Czech Republic resistance. Yet the win could not conceal the fact that Vicente del Bosque's champions may be lacking a killer instinct. Until defender Pique's crucial late header, the holders were again largely ineffective in front of goal, just as they had been in their 1-0 loss to Georgia in their final warm-up game last week. Spain had three-quarters of the possession up until the interval and played most of the game in the Czech half, but still did not have the wit or invention to break down their more limited opponents. By the end, the champions had hit the target just five times in their 17 attempts, with Pique's 87th-minute header from a superb Andres Iniesta cross eventually sparing them blushes. It left Spain's coach Vicente del Bosque with an increasingly familiar headache. "It's true that we dominate but we still struggle in front of goal," he sighed afterwards. The most important thing for the coach was that this was at least an improvement on Spain's last three opening games at major tournaments: a defeat in the 2014 World Cup by the Netherlands, a draw with Italy in Euro 2012 and a loss in the 2010 World Cup to Switzerland. They started with a sense of urgency and were most effective when they had David Silva and Jordi Alba stretching the Czech team on the flanks. That enabled them to create the first real opening of the game, with Silva's cross from the right finding Alvaro Morata in the box but his first-touch shot was kept out by the ever-excellent Petr Cech. Problems started for Spain when Silva and Alba started drifting inside, flooding the central area of the pitch and making the champions too predictable. Still, they should have gone into the break ahead but were denied by some terrific work from Cech, who managed to stop Morata twice. "We would have seen a different game had one of our chances in the opening half gone in," reckoned Spain captain Sergio Ramos. Morata was replaced by Aritz Aduriz in the 62nd minute but he could do little with Spain continuing to produce long spells of possession without any incisive intent or penetration. Eventually, though, one moment of sheer star quality shone through. Andres Iniesta, still a twinkle-toed Fred Astaire of the modern game at 32, unfurled one curling, inch-perfect cross that simply demanded a thumping Pique finish. "This is who we are," the Barcelona maestro Iniesta declared afterwards. "We have achieved so much success because of our style of play. We have played games like this one and it's just a case of trying and trying, until the ball goes in." The problem is that the wait for those goals is incerasingly becoming a test of the Spain supporters' nerves and patience.

Defending champs Spain seal last-gasp win

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