What the story?
Zinedine Zidane has responded to Gerard Pique’s comments on Real Madrid’s values in the press conference ahead of the La Liga game against Alaves. The Real Madrid manager said, “Everyone's entitled to their opinion and all I'll say is that this is a serious, great club. Nothing else”.
Also Read: The difference in Barcelona manager Luis Enrique speaking about Real Madrid in 1991 and 2017
“I'm not bothered about what he says, to be honest. It's just for the sake of saying something. All I'm concerned about is what we're doing on the pitch”, he continued.
Trending
“We know what our image means and nobody can argue with that. He can say whatever he likes, he won't change the image of this club. I'm not going to get involved with this”, the Frenchman concluded.
The context
Gerard Pique criticised the management at Real Madrid after Spain’s 2-0 victory over France. The Spanish centerback said, “I don't like the values Real Madrid transmit, although there are players there I really appreciate with and am friends with”.
“What I don't like about Real Madrid is how those in the box seats pull the strings. The person who accused Messi and Neymar and who has a different treatment for Cristiano [Ronaldo] is in those box seats”, he continued referring to attorney Marta Silva Lapuerta who’s been at the forefront of court cases against Lionel Messi and Neymar, and is a regular at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The heart of the matter
To be honest, the Lionel Messi and Neymar tax evasion saga is a long and grueling one, and allegedly it involves politics from the directors at the Bernabeu. Gerard Pique, as always, is quite vocal in his thoughts on the matter and is one of the non-diplomatic of players who are involved in the dressing room.
His comments, however, might fall on deaf ears as his regular jibes against Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane understandably has steered clear of the comments and is quite right to do so, given the context they were on. His job is to manage and get trophies for the Los Blancos, and that is where it ends.
Reactions
Barcelona have decided to take Pique out of the firing line as he’s going to be rested for the game away to Granada on Sunday. “I'm more radical than Pique it's best if I don't reveal my thoughts”, said Luis Enrique in his press conference when asked about Pique’s comments, make of that what you will.
Barcelona official Jordi Cardoner has spoken in support of the central defender, “From what I have been able to read and from what I have heard, Pique has not lied and Barcelona are always on the side of the truth.”
“Pique has expressed his opinion freely and we are in favour of freedom of expression. It may offend, but he has stated it very clearly.Our relationship with Madrid is courteous as always. Pique has not lied. And the club will always be next to the truth, that is, next to Pique”, he continued.
Sergio Ramos, understandably so, as the captain of Real Madrid also commented on the matter, “What Pique says won't change the values, our badge, our history or our titles," Ramos said. “What he says will provoke headlines and sell newspapers but we live off of that.”
Asked about the impact of the statements, the Real Madrid and Spain national team captain replied, “The statements, if they came from [Andres] Iniesta, would annoy [Madrid]. From Pique? No," Ramos said. "That's part of Pique's character. We're not going to change him a the age of 30. We have to enjoy him as a great footballer.”
Author’s Note
It’s an embarrassing saga of events, especially when the rivalry on the pitch is take off it. The biggest loser though is the Spanish national team, they can do without their best two players bickering against each other in the media.
But, this has always been the nature of the relationship between the two Spanish giants, and perhaps that’s what football is – your club against mine.
