03.07.2010 11:27

Second anniversary for Piqué

Roger Bogunyà

Since moving to Barca from Manchester United in July 2008, Gerard Piqué has established himself as one of the best central defenders in the world.

Speaking after signing for the Club that saw him take his first steps as a youth star, Piqué revealed: “Today, my dream has come true. I’m happy and proud to be able to say that I’m a Barca player”. Now, after just two short but incident packed years, the central defender has won seven medals, established himself as a first team regular and won recognition as one of the most exciting young players in the world.

“I’ll settle in quickly”

On his very first day with the first team – and fans should remember that he had come up through the Barca youth ranks before moving to United - Gerard Piqué assured the fans that he would adapt to the Club in record time: “Having already played with many of the lads in the squad means that’ I’ll settle in quickly”. He had played alongside Gabi Milito in his time with Zaragoza and also with Messi in the Barca youth sides. He was dead right in his prediction; in his first season he played 45 matches and scored three goals – one of them coming in the 2-6 demolition of Real Madrid in the Bernabeu.

“The fans will be proud of us”

But on arriving at the Club he made a number of predictions that soon came true. Although the team had drawn a blank in the previous two seasons, Piqué didn’t hesitate to stick out his neck: “The fans will be proud of us “. He couldn’t have been more correct as the treble-winning 2008/09 season turned out to be the most successful in Barca’s long history. The following season the team went on to add four more trophies. And all this with Piqué as an essential part of the team of the Six Cups in the heart of defence.

More than a defender

Gerard Piqué has it all – he’s fast, very tall (almost 2 metres), strong in the air but also a real artist with the ball at his feet. Many of the team’s attacking moves start from him but perhaps the biggest surprise has been his ability to take on an occasional forward’s role. In the World Club Cup final in Abu Dhabi, he made the assist for Pedro to equalize and against Inter Milan he beat one of the best keepers in the world, Julio Cesar, to score one of the gaols of the year. A true artist with the football who is celebrating his second anniversary with the Club today with a World Cup quarterfinal. Is another dream about to come true?’