Barcelona Soccer News 2015: Gerard Pique Says His Team Cannot Win in Premier League
Gerard Pique will definitely raise some eyebrows after a recent comment saying that his football club, Barcelona, won't be able to win it all the way in the Premier League for the reason that the division is a lot more physical.
The Spanish footballer said that both his team and Real Madrid cannot emulate their success in La Liga if both were given the opportunity to compete in England.
Pique is busy with the Spanish national football squad preparing for an international friendly against England.
It is no secret, though, that Pique said these words considering that he spent a good four years playing for Manchester United, where he played in 23 games overall from 2004 up to 2008. With Barcelona, though, the Spaniard has gotten more success, winning the La Liga with the team five times. He played for Pep Guardiola in Barca, contributing to the club's treble in 2008-09 and a quadruple the season after.
The center back, who boasts World Cup championship credentials with Spain, considered his time with Manchester United as the foundation years before eventually becoming a football star in his own right. He was a key player for the Spanish team that hoisted the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2012.
He also is not the only player who believes that the kind and style of play used by Spanish professional teams is different to that in England and won't be easy to use and succeed with in a physical league or division.
In contrast, clubs from the La Liga actually have been successful over Premier League teams when it comes down to European competition. For instance, Manchester City suffered defeats at the hands of Pique's teams in the past two seasons, as reported by Mark Critchley for Independent. Also, Chelsea got eliminated in the semifinals against Atletico Madrid a season after.