Name: Gerard Piqué
Position: defender
Place of birth: Barcelona
Date: 02-02-1987
Height: 192 cm
Weight: 85 kg
Gerard Piqué returned to FC Barcelona, the club where he started as a boy, in the summer of 2008, after three seasons with Manchester United and one with Real Zaragoza.
Gerard Piqué was born on 2 February 1987 and since that day he has been a club member of FC
Barcelona. Since he was very young he has been involved with the club and when he was 10 years old
he joined the youngest boys’ team at the club (Alevín B).
From then on he passed through the various under-age levels, picking up titles along the way
and winning plaudits in all age categories (Alevín A, Infantil B and A, Cadete B and A and Juvenil
B and A). When playing at Cadete B level Tito Vilanova was his manager, and he will meet up with
Vilanova once again on his return to the first team. In all this time of development and learning,
Gerard Piqué showed a great ability to adapt to different positions on the field and gained a
reputation for goal scoring, despite his defensive position.
At the end of the 2003/04 season, Gerard Piqué took a break from his life as an azulgrana and
left for Manchester United. He made his debut for the English side on 26 October, only three weeks
after arriving, in a Carling Cup match against Crewe Alexandra. He was also with Alex
Ferguson’s team for the 2005/06 season before being loaned out to Real Zaragoza for the
2006/07 season.
In his only season with the Aragon side, Piqué played quite a lot as a defensive midfielder
in front of the back four. The catalan played 22 league games, eighteen of which he started, and
scored to goals. During this time he played alongside Gabriel Milito, who he will also meet up with
again on his return to Barça.
Season 2007/08 saw Piqué return to Manchester United and he was able to celebrate the double
of Premiership and Champions League. He had a memorable season in the Champions League, especially
in the initial league phase, scoring two goals.
In his first season with the club, Piqué showed why he had been signed. He became a first
choice centre back and also scored three goals, one in each competition, totalling 45 appearances.
He came to be known as Piquénbauer, in reference to his ability to work the ball forward from the
back and joining with attacking moves. His goal in the 6-2 win at the Bernabéu was a prime example
of this.
With regard to his international experience, Piqué is a regular for the U-21 side, as he was
with the younger under-age teams. He played in the 2007 U-20s World Cup in Canada, the 2006 U-19s
European Championships in Poland (which Spain won) and the 2004 U-17s European Championships in
France (which Spain finished as runners-up). On Friday 11, 2009 he made his international debut
against England, and made his first official appearance in the Confederations Cup in South Africa,
2009.
PROFILE
The Catalan is a big defender (1.92m tall and weighing 85 kg). His physical size and good
technical ability make him strong in the air. He also knows how to put these qualities to use in
attack, especially from dead ball situations. Apart from centre-half, Piqué can also play in front
of the back four, as he showed during his time with Real Zaragoza.
HONOURS
FC Barcelona
2009/10 Liga
2009/10 World Club Cup
2009/10 European Super Cup
2009/10 Spanish Super Cup
2008/09 Champions League
2008/09 Liga
2008/09 Copa del Rey
Manchester United
2007/08 Premier League
2007/08 Champions League
2005/06 Carling Cup
Spain
2005/06 European Champion U-19
2003/04 European runner-up U-17
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