'The dressing room is still united,' Gerard Pique defends FC Barcelona after Copa del Rey elimination
FC Barcelona star defender Gerard Pique has claimed that the club's dressing room is united and will return to winning ways following their crushing elimination from Copa del Rey.
A 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-final saw the 30-time champions out of the tournament.
The defeat saw new criticism from club's sporting director Eric Abidal, who earlier had questioned Barca's team effort under former manager Ernesto Valverde. His statement with a Spanish newspaper resulted in a severe reaction from their skipper Lionel Messi, who took to social media to slam Abidal for his remarks.
"It's not time to air the dirty washing. The dressing room is fully united. Elimination is a big blow but we said in the dressing room that we've taken a step forward and played well, despite all the noise that's been generated.
🎙 Piqué: "It is hard because we are eliminated but the feeling is that we have taken a step forward. There is enough confidence and talent to be able to win the two remaining competitions. My adductor injury? It's nothing." pic.twitter.com/EhsEZcmkp2
— FC Barcelona Fl (@FCBarcelonaFl) February 7, 2020
We have to focus on playing and winning. We have to return to winning ways. The players have the ability to keep winning and we are working on that every day, finding a better feel for the game," Pique said in a post-match interview after Copa del Rey's loss.
While Pique was trying to lift the spirits of the side, his teammate Sergio Busquets emphasized how much the players are sad and angry after the loss.
"It's a sad day for everyone. We didn't want to go out. We have two competitions left, we have to keep on fighting. We have to continue. Everyone's angry. We did things well. We deserved to go through, but this is the new Copa. In one isolated moment, it can slip away from you.
A fateful ending after all that happened. That's football. One cross has ended up in the back of the net. We'd managed the game well, we knew how to suffer but one detail and you're gone," Busquets further added after ate goal from Inaki Williams ended the tournament for the Catalans.