Gerard Piqué: "Referees have influenced this season's league"
"I'm not going to pull out a list of when they have favoured us or not, which our rivals have done in the past. I hope this season has shown that we need to implement VAR"Barcelona-Sporting CP live online
Barcelona's Gerard Piqué looked ahead of tomorrow's Copa del Rey final against Alavés in the company of the media on Friday afternoon, after the team put in one last training session at the Ciutat Esportiva.
How have Barça been preparing for this final against Alavés, one of the big surprise packages of the season?
That's right, they've been the big revelation because they've done really well and now they have a unique chance to make history and so they'll be extra motivated. We will have to match their motivation and then after that, draw on our quality. It'll be difficult, we'll need to try to take control of the game and go into the game strong.
Piqué hopes Barcelona give Luis Enrique the send-off he deserves
Is the fact that this will be Luis Enrique's last game as Barça coach an extra motive?
He deserves a good final, because he's a good coach, one of the best in club history and he deserves to leave us with a trophy. I know that he hasn't had the best relationship in the world with you, the press, but he has won all of us over in the squad; these past three seasons have been magnificent. I want him to leave with a winners' medal and to leave on a happy note.
What kind of Alavés do you expect to be up against?
A side which is well drilled and disciplined and a side who will try to hit us on the break with Deiverson as their target so we will need to be alert. We'll spend long periods with the ball and so we'll have to keep the ball circulating well.
Do you feel as though you've become the club's spokesman?
No, not at all. It's just been sheer coincidence; the club's had a few issues to deal with - things that no one likes but at times you have to defend yourself and that's that.
What are your feelings about next week's Champions League final?
I'm focused on tomorrow's game, our final. May the best team win in Cardiff - I would prefer to see Juve win, but whoever wins won't change anything regarding our season. Next season we'll try to reach more objectives.
VAR would reduce refereeing mistakes, says Piqué
Did you have the feeling that everything was against Barça in the last season's league?
No. I do sincerely think that the referees influenced the outcome but I won't be drawing up a list to back myself up. They won it and that's that, now we have to turn over the page and continue. Last season's experiences will serve to implement VAR [Video Assistant Referee technology]. Moaning doesn't help anyone; there were some games when we could have done more to get a result. Sometimes being at the same level as your rivals isn't enough. It's a lesson for the future - we need to be a better team.
