PreviousLive Chronicle
Piqué's legend was built on his competitiveness in the most demanding games and in the most difficult stadiums, such as the Bernabéu.
At 35, however, he is no longer enough to beat rivals like Inter.
He still has plenty in exchange to justify his ownership against opponents like Almería.
Piqué played a very good match, more serious, focused and responsible than ever, and he said goodbye in the scent of a crowd at his beloved Camp Nou.
Although the appointment seemed to invite a noisy party, the emotion was contained while the contest was not resolved and he became serene and natural when he was substituted in the 85th minute already with 2-0.
BCN Barcelona
two
Ter Stegen, Lewandowski, Ferrán Torres (Ansu Fati, min. 61), Alba, Alex Balde, Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, Ousmane Dembélé (Raphinha, min. 67), Marcos Alonso, Piqué (A. Christensen, min. 84) and Busquets (Gavi, min. 67)
ALM Almeria
0
Lucas Robertone (Portillo, min. 78), Fernando Martínez, Leo Baptistao (Dyego Sousa, min. 45), Houboulang Mendes, Gonzalo Melero (Arnau Martínez, min. 68), Rodrigo Ely (Eguaras, min. 67), Samuel Costa , Ramazani, Akieme, Chumi and Kaiky
Goals
1-0 min.
47: Ousmane Dembele.
2-0 min.
61: Frenkie De Jong.
Referee
Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes
Yellow cards Kaiky (min. 6), Ferrán Torres (min. 8) and Ousmane Dembélé (min. 41)
Not even the appearance of a spontaneous tarnish Piqué's quiet and grateful goodbye in communion with the Camp Nou stands.
There was no populism or imposture but the script of the video in which the Barça defender announced his dismissal from Barcelona was imposed.
No act will surely surpass the recording of Piqué, one of the icons of that Barça that did not stop winning titles and whose memory has conditioned any project for a long time at the old Camp Nou.
Barça's expectations for the future are now concentrated around the figure of Xavi after he replaced Koeman and now has helped Piqué leave.
The captains are falling little by little, one by one, and in different ways to the amazement of the Camp Nou.
Messi has already left, Piqué leaves on Tuesday after passing through Pamplona, and Busquets will go to Miami in the summer.
The presence of the central midfielder, as well as Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, announces that the current season is still in transition in the renewal of leadership at the Camp Nou.
The fans, however, eagerly await an ambitious and winning team with youngsters like Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Ansu Fati, Gavi or Balde.
De Jong has earned the starting spot after his transfer was marketed while Gavi was playing.
It also seems that Ferran is better than Ansu and Balde just runs on the left side than on the right, very offensive at the Camp Nou.
The young defender put in a good cross with his right foot as soon as the game started and the ball hit Kaiky's arm.
The referee consulted the Var and awarded a penalty before the revelry of the public who asked Piqué to shoot.
The center nodded for the pitcher to be Lewandowski.
The striker finished off the post after a long and frustrated paradinha due to the good endurance of goalkeeper Fernando.
Lewandowski, always so accurate, missed the easiest shot since he arrived at Barça.
The match was played on the Almería stadium.
The defense of five stopped by Rubi sweated to defend Barça's attack.
The azulgrana pressed well, Ferran shot good runs and the ball often crossed Fernando's area.
The play, however, always ended in a corner because there was no one who managed to shoot at the Almería goal.
The script seemed to await a goal from Piqué coming off a corner kick when De Jong missed a pass and left Ramazani hand in hand with Ter Stegen.
The goalkeeper's foot prevented Almería's goal.
The Barcelona game, sometimes patient and sometimes dynamic, lacked precision and punch and had plenty of predictability to the despair of the Camp Nou.
Ferran's shots were blocked and when he enabled Dembélé, the Frenchman badly headed over Fernando's body.
The goalkeeper did not beat Pedri or De Jong either.
He had no answer on the other hand before Dembélé's cross shot after a change of direction from Busquets and a recovery of the speedy Balde in a melee with Ramazani.
The Frenchman received the ball on the right side and on the way to the area, he broke Babic, dodged Rodrigo and finished off Fernando's right post.
There is no middle term with Dembélé.
Amazing in the goal and exasperating later when he did not know how to finish a good series of dribbling with a shot that was a goal or a goal against the sold Fernando.
The 2-0 was not long in coming after a center by Jordi Alba from the left wing that Ansu Fati finished off and Frenkie de Jong finished off.
Ansu is struggling with the goal and is angry with the coach because he is not a starter, he plays little and his presence in the World Cup is at stake.
He doesn't seem very satisfied with the substitution Raphinha either.
Both are two rebels in a team that played a very academic and interesting game, well pitched by the full-backs Alba and Balde.
Barça perhaps lacked outburst, even rage, and had plenty of naivety against Almería.
It even seemed for a moment that no one wanted to stand out more than necessary because the night belonged to Piqué.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on
and
, or sign up here to receive
our weekly newsletter
.