The 'favors' that Piqué asked for

They say in his family that when he was a child, Gerard Piqué studied his own, but that when he heard his mother coming down the hall, he left the books and started playing ball so that she would think he was naughty.

Already on the pitch and with the Barça book in his head, he soon understood that if he drove the ball from the root, he would divide the rivals in order to later deliver a pass to a free teammate.

And that is what Piqué likes: to provoke.

Even from his representation agency they told him that they would take his social network accounts, but he refused because he did not want to scam anyone and because, he says, he does not care what others think.

Now,

He has uncovered some files and voice documents in which they point out to him why he managed with his company, Kosmos, that the Spanish Super Cup be played in Saudi Arabia to report 40 million per edition to the Federation, four of which are for his company.

He denies that there is a conflict of interest, as he defended on his

channel .

More than anything because there is nothing illegal.

But he also denied that he asked favors from Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), and the revealed audios contradict that version.

“Everything we have done is legal.

I want to show my face because I have nothing to hide.

The only illegal thing is to leak the audios”, he pointed out on

shortly after Barcelona lost to Cádiz.

“And I don't care what comes out in the other audios because I don't regret anything... I'm never going to ask for help from anything.

I know how to separate a commercial agreement from football”, he added.

It happens, however, that he did ask Rubiales for

that some may understand as consideration and others as a logical consequence of their good sporting relationship —Rubiales was the president of the federation when the center-back wore the Spain shirt— and business, after of the contract obtained with Sela, a Saudi company, for the celebration of the Super Cup in Arabia.

In 2019, when Reus was relegated due to administrative defaults, Piqué called Rubiales to ask him about the Second B place that was free [now the category is called First RFEF and it is the one in which the club plays].

Something possible because Andorra - entity of which he is the owner - was a member of the Third Division in the Catalan group (recently promoted) and because he paid the payment of 452,022 euros to the federation to reserve his right to bid for the place.

So did Zamora, Alcoyano, Mallorca B and Real Jaén.

But Andorra had priority according to the order established by the RFEF: the Third Division team of the same regional federation to which the team relegated due to non-payment belongs;

the team relegated from Segunda B of the same regional federation to which the club relegated due to non-payment is affiliated;

the rest of the Third Division teams;

and the rest of the teams relegated from Segunda B. Thus, the place was awarded to Andorra "after verifying that it is the team that meets the established requirements and the order of preference established in the regulations," said the federation.

Requests not granted

But once achieved, Piqué called Rubiales.

“If you can avoid putting us in the group with the Catalans, the better.

The 4 of the group are always the ones with the highest level... Being in the bottom of the world, like those of the Balearic Islands, I imagine that placing ourselves in one group or another does not change much.

Also, if you make subgroups of 10, the most normal thing is that there are 10 Catalans, so we could get out of there and go to other subgroups, ”says an audio of

while stating that Piqué preferred the clubs of La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón or the Basque Country as rivals.

“I keep that in mind.

In other words, you don't care about going anywhere, right? ", Rubiales replied.

A request, however, that contradicts Piqué.

"I will never ask for help in anything," he defended on

.

Although it was of little use because Andorra was framed with Barça B, Espanyol B, Llagostera, Nàstic, Cornellà...

Although Piqué no longer wants to speak in public, he did explain on Twitter that he did not ask for favors in exchange for anything.

Rubiales also answered in a press conference: “All clubs ask to have simpler groups.

It's one more call.

What you have to see is how the groups were made and where Andorra competed, which was very difficult.

In the end, the FEF makes decisions.”

Another request that

, which occurred during the negotiations with Saudi Arabia, was that Piqué asked Rubiales to attend the last Olympic Games with the U-23 team.

“What's up Ruby, how are you?

I'm here in the Bahamas and I just watched the Under-21 game against Poland, what a great game, man!

Look how hard they had it, huh?

God!

How they have qualified for the Olympic Games… You have to do this for me, eh, Rubi, you have to get it for me, damn it.

It gives me an illusion that you shit play the Olympic Games.

And we have to keep it very secret, man.”

Rubiales responded and, in full negotiations for the contract with Saudi Arabia, requested a mediation to which the president of the RFEF was not reluctant at any time: "Of course, it must be kept secret and the coach (Luis de la Fuente ), if he trusts, wants and throws away

, I am delighted.

I would like you to come even to the absolute [selection], because we need you more.

[...] I am delighted to lend a hand there”.

But Piqué was not summoned for the Games either.

You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on

Exclusive content for subscribers

read without limits

subscribe

I'm already a subscriber