Piqué: “we are performing at a great level”

Gerard Piqué, who was named in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI 2012 for the third year on the run in January, has given an interview to FIFA.com in which he looks at Barça’s current situation. The Catalan defender also admitted that this summer’s European Championships helped him reach his best form again: “I came back full of desire and strength. The team is performing at a great level and that always helps too”.
Piqué also admitted that he’d learnt the lesson from last season: “the best thing for a defender is that nobody even talks about you – when rumours start, it’s always uncomfortable. That’s part of the game though and I have learnt from it. Now I give more value to feeling good. When I came to Barça, everything went so well and it all seemed so easy, but when things go wrong, it helps you to value what you have and become a better player”.

“We just take it one game at a time”

The team are top of the league and enjoying a great season, but Piqué explained that the players aren’t letting it go to their heads: “we take it one game at a time. You play as you train and in the end if you train well, you will play well. That’s how we deal with games and we don’t change anything for the big matches”. Piqué also commented on the big lead the team have established over Real Madrid: “nobody expected it. Madrid won the league last season and they have a great team. It’s a big gap, but we must never write them off”.

Tito’s personal touch

The Catalan defender also commented on the transition from Pep Guardiola to Tito Villanova: “Tito is doing great. He’s doing no more or less than Pep, but what he does has got his own touch. The team is playing brilliantly and we’ve not noticed any change”.