Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has leapt to the defence of club president Joan Laporta, despite the embarrassing collapse of the Super League.
The Catalan giants were one of the twelve founding members when the plans were revealed on Sunday evening. A turbulent 48-hours followed which left Barca and Real Madrid as the only clubs not to have formally withdrawn.
Super League vice president, and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli conceded on Wednesday morning that the venture was dead in the water.
With teams withdrawing left and right on Tuesday night, Pique tweeted, "Football belongs to the fans. Today more than ever."
Football belongs to the fans. Today more than ever.
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) April 20, 2021
Despite his thumbs-up to the people power movement that brought the Super League to its knees, Pique has offered his support to the man paying his wages.
In a conversation with Movistar+, the 33-year old said he understood the position in which Joan Laporta had found himself.
"As president of Barca he's in a situation where he inherited a club in very bad, very negative economic circumstances and he will be making the best possible decision for the club," Pique said.
"If I look at the Super League through the prism of a player, I would say to you that it is not positive in the long term for the world of football.
"Do we want that for the world of football? That Sevilla, Valencia, Everton, Leicester, Napoli ... disappear? Because these clubs would be rendered worthless."
Barcelona's financial health is indeed poor. In January it was reported that their gross debt stands at €1.173 billion. The net figure is €488million.
€266m is owed to the banks by 30 June, while another €90m is owed to Goldman Sachs.
Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman wasn't keen to discuss the Super League plans ahead of Thursday's La Liga clash with Getafe. However, the Dutchman did give a hint as to which side of the fence he was landing.
"I don't want to talk about this topic but I agree with Pique's tweet," Koeman said.
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