Piqué Hails Messi and Barcelona’s Defence in Bayern Rout, Warns Against Complacency
Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué was full of praise for his team’s performance following their 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou. The Spanish centre-back highlighted the defensive discipline of the squad and, unsurprisingly, the brilliance of Lionel Messi.
“We played a sensational match, very solid defensively,” Piqué told reporters after the game. “They didn’t even manage a shot on target. That says a lot about our collective effort.”
The clean sheet was particularly significant given Bayern’s reputation as one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking sides, even without key stars like Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry.
Piqué also singled out Messi, who scored two spectacular goals in quick succession to break the deadlock late in the second half, before assisting Neymar for the third.
“Pep [Guardiola] knows him very well,” Piqué said of his former manager and current Bayern coach. “And he knows that when Leo is inspired, nobody can stop him. He scored two fantastic goals.”
Despite the commanding lead, the Barça defender urged caution ahead of the return leg in Munich, where Bayern’s attacking power and passionate home support could make things complicated.
“In football, you never know,” Piqué warned. “Bayern are a great team and their fans really push them. We have to score a goal over there, because if we do, they’ll need five.”
Barcelona’s emphatic win puts them one foot in the final, but Piqué’s message was clear: the job is not finished.
