Gerard Pique was sent off at half-time of his final match before retirement, seemingly for remonstrating with the referee, but Barcelona fought back to beat Osasuna 2-1 and move five points clear at the top of La Liga on Tuesday.
Pique, 35, who waved goodbye to the Camp Nou last weekend, was incensed by referee Jesus Gil Manzano’s decision to show Barca striker Robert Lewandowski a second yellow card just after the half-hour mark. Pique, who was only named as a substitute by Barca coach Xavi Hernandez, angrily approached Manzano at the break. “I was going to bring him on, yes,” said Xavi.
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“We knew that Andreas [Christensen] was coming back from injury, that he lacked a bit of rhythm. Eric Garcia was feeling pain…So Gerard was left and we thought we’d play him, yes. But they sent him off at half-time. It was the result of the tension of the moment. We felt injustice, hence Gerard’s reaction.”
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