If Xavi Hernandez is going to be successful as manager of Barcelona, then his hard line of management will have to be applied across the board.
That means his old playing colleagues will have to toe the line too, and whilst that’s unlikely to be a problem for most, it could be a real issue for Gerard Pique.
Xavi has, per AS and cited by Football Espana, set down a number of new rules that are expected to be adhered to.
COPE via Sport cited by Football Espana, have noted that Pique has already cancelled an interview as a result.
However, the centre-back has extensive interests, both business and pleasure, away from the football pitch, and if he were to have to scale back on them all, the likelihood of him continuing at Barcelona past this season could be negligible.
With Eric Garcia, Ronald Araujo, Oscar Mingueza, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti, Barca are well covered now in central defence. They’d still miss Pique yes, but his absence would be as keenly felt as in previous years.
Perhaps it boils down to how important his club is to him in the grand scheme of things.