BEVERLY HILLS, April 04, (THEWILL) – Gerard Pique, the Spanish star defender for Catalan giants Barcelona, has suffered a setback on his path to recovery from injury that totally rules him out of the Monday night clash against Real Vallodolid at Camp Nou. It might also preclude him from being in the Matchday squad to face Real Madrid at the second El Clasico of the season by the weekend.
Reports monitored by THEWILL coming from Spain say Pique has endured more than one delay in recent days which has held back the club’s medical team from setting a return date for the 34-year-old. However, even in his condition, which has seen him left out of any scheduled sessions with the team in the coming days and has not allowed him complete a part of training with the team, Pique remains motivated to return in time.
Meanwhile, Ronald Koeman is preparing the team for the eventuality that their star defender will be unavailable for the crucial and decisive tie. This is why it will be better medical news for the manager that he will have the services of Sergi Roberto to dispense with in the latter player’s return to fitness after his own injury layoff.
Coincidentally, Roberto and Pique had a disconcertingly similar course of injury and relapse. They both sustained their injuries in the Saturday, November 21, 2020 lone goal loss to League leaders Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano and, just as they were due to rejoin the squad from the medical faculty, they lapsed in February and could not actively contribute to the team’s fortunes.
But, that was as far as the similarities went because they sustained markedly different injuries. Whereas Roberto suffered a tear in the quadriceps, Pique sustained an injury to the internal lateral ligament, which initially was supposed to sideline him for four months, but he made such incredible recovery that he returned in just two and a half instead.
In hindsight, maybe he needed more time off because his knee lasted only four matches before a relapse set in at the Copa Del Rey semi-final fixture against Sevilla after his heroics in the last seconds of regulation time produced one of the goals that won La Blaugrana safe passage to the final.
That final of Saturday, April 17 seems to be a more realistic return date for Barca’s captain. Already, the squad misses his experience in the backline and the upcoming games after Monday’s match, which are against Real in the league and against Athletic Club in the Copa, will be the sort of fixtures to have a fully fit Pique doing his bit.
Those are the games that a Pique can work to fortify the defenses as well as present a goal-scoring threat because the pair of fixtures can both decide if the Catalan giants will have a trophy at the end of the season or will go out with empty hands twice in two seasons, which is not a welcome prospect for a team like Barca.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
