Gerard Pique denies spat with Sergio Ramos
Spain defender Gerard Pique on Friday denied rumours of a rift with fellow central defender Sergio Ramos, insisting the two "get on fine."
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: June 08, 2012 09:09 PM IST
Spain defender Gerard Pique on Friday denied rumours of a rift with fellow central defender Sergio Ramos, insisting the two "get on fine."
The defending champions have been at pains to deny any unhealthy rivalry between players from Pique's Barcelona and Real Madrid, Ramos' club outfit - but the media have speculated that the defensive pair do not get on.
Spain might have fielded an all-Barca tandem of Pique and veteran Carles Puyol at the tournament, as at the last World Cup - but Puyol will miss out with injury as he faces knee surgery.
"I get on fine with Sergio Ramos," insisted former Manchester United man Pique.
"It was also said this season that I didn't get on with (outgoing Barca boss Pep) Guardiola at Barcelona and that was never so. I said it many times and say so again," added Pique, who started just 17 league games for Barcelona, as injuries and suspension took a toll.
Guardiola was also said to be irked about the distractions of Pique's relationship with pop star girlfriend Shakira.
Thanks to his much-publicised friendship with the Colombian singer, Pique is as much a feature of gossip magazines as Spain's sporting press and many believe his high-profile private life has had an adverse effect on his on-pitch form.
He disagrees.
"Things get exaggerated," he told reporters, while saying that there is always a feverish amount of speculation and rumours which do the rounds regarding goings-on, real and imagined, at Spain's biggest clubs.
"There was a lot of tension between the two teams" - Barca and Real - he admitted as the title race won by the madridistas came to the boil.
But in the media "things get distorted."
He went on: "We know where we're headed at this European Championships and I feel proud to form part of the team and I am very happy to be playing beside Sergio. I have a good understanding with Sergio - as I do with Raul Albiol," also of Real, "and (Bilbao's) Javi Martinez, who can also both play in this position."
Even so he admits to missing Puyol.
"The truth is of course I do miss 'Puyi'. He's like a brother. We have shared a dressing room for four years and he has missed out through injury.
"But we have sufficient quality and the necessary players to ensure we don't suffer from his absence."
"Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos are very similar. They are very physical, both get forward and both are very secure at the back. I have played more games with Carles. We know each other and only need to look at one another to know what we have to do.
"Maybe I'll have to work a bit more with Sergio but given his quality it's very easy to play alongside him."