Opinion: Gerard Pique for president

Perhaps what Barça needs is for Gerard Piqué to retire and start preparing his own candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona. In the short term he would lose playing for the team, but who knows if his presidency would revolutionize the club or Spanish football in general. Piqué is an atypical footballer. A guy capable of getting 40 million euros a year for the Spanish Football Federation and obtaining a millionaire contract by convincing one of his ‘partners’ to sponsor the Barça shirt. I mean Rakuten, of course.

A businessman who confronts without any reservations, live and with cameras rolling, any journalist who questions his way of doing business. He is also a young yuppie who is on top of social networks and new ways of communicating between new generations. A good looking executive who does not need money because he is already a millionaire. A boy who has lived with Barcelona since he was born and a young man who had to face an adventure abroad in order to later succeed at Barça. In short, the story of Gerard Piqué brings together everything necessary to stand for election to the presidency of Barça and succeed. Some may think that this is impossible, however, it is not an unthinkable story or a simple assumption. The footballer himself has never hidden that once his sports career is over he would like to preside over the club. Moreover, he assures to his close friends that he is serious and that he is not bluffing.

According to the FC Barcelona statutes, any Barça member can present a candidacy as long as he has been out of any contractual relationship with the club for two years. In other words, if he retired at the end of this season, in two years he could lead a candidacy. Without a doubt, Piqué would break with the current 'isms' because he would receive the support of Laportistas, Rosellistas or Nuñistas. On the contrary, he would surely create some new 'isms'. Unfortunately history and one of the main problems of the club is the eternal division of its members. In short, a carbon copy of what is happening in Catalonia. Everything is split in two and so it is very difficult to move forward. These days I have heard many culés defending Piqué, but perhaps as many as attacking him.

The great doubt of the Barcelona supporters before a possible presidential candidacy of Piqué is that the members of Barça see the footballer as a haughty and elitist type. In general, the culé has always preferred a profile closer to Xavi than to Gerard. Barça's own coach declared himself this week to be the opposite of Piqué's lifestyle. Xavi defined himself as a diplomatic, discreet and prudent person, while Piqué said that he was extroverted and that he liked to be the name in people's mouths. That said, the Barça central defender has everything he needs to succeed, but he should model his public image and be more cautious in his appearances. That image of arrogance and deification that he conveys in his nightly appearances on Twitch does not correspond to that of a footballer who wears the Barça shirt. When he hangs up his boots he can do what he wants, but as long as he is a Barça footballer he should try to be more Xavi than Piqué.