Gerard Pique bid fans and teammates farewell on a day Barcelona beat Almeria 2-0 in front of over 92,000 fans at the Nou Camp on Saturday November 5, 2022.
The legendary Barcelona defender announced his intention to retire after today’s match on Thursday November 3, 2022 after 14 years with the club and played a sound game, helping his side to keep a clean sheet.
Dembele opened the scoring within three minutes of the restart, though, taking a long cross-field ball from Sergio Busquets and then cutting into the box and slotting inside the far post.
The lead was doubled when opposition goalkeeper Fernando Martinez made one of many point-blank saves, this time from Ansu Fati after Jordi Alba’s cross, and Frenkie de Jong was on hand to blast home.
At full-time Pique came back onto the pitch to applaud the fans and was thrown into the air by his team-mates.
The result lifts Barcelona above Real Madrid at the top of the table, where they will stay at least until les Merengues play at Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
It is expected that Pique, a Spaniard will retire after Tuesday’s trip to Osasuna, although it is not certain he will play in that.
There were several tributes to him on his farewell night at the Nou Camp.
Pique, who was named captain, walked on to the pitch with his two sons, as all his team-mates wore shirts with his name and number three on the back.
Pique won 30 trophies and made 616 appearances for Barca after joining in 2008 from Manchester United.
Barcelona reportedly put Pique under pressure to leave to ease their financial issues. He was their fifth-choice centre-back this season, although has still played 10 times.
As well as other business interests, Pique owns FC Andorra, who play in the Spanish second tier.
Pique played the fifth most games of any Barcelona player – with the four players above him all team-mates at one time or another – Lionel Messi (778), manager Xavi Hernandez (767), current Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets (694) and Andres Iniesta (674).
Only Messi (35) and Iniesta (32) won more trophies for Barca than Pique.
Pique was also a part of Spain’s 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 triumphs.
With 102 caps before his international retirement in 2018, he is one of only 13 players to make 100 appearances for La Roja.
He started his senior career at Manchester United, playing 23 times and also having a loan spell with Real Zaragoza in that time.
He made 13 first-team appearances in 2007-08 as United won the Community Shield, Premier League and Champions League – before going back to Barca four years after leaving their youth set-up.