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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique recalls the "horrible" initiation encountered during his time at Manchester United.
The 35-year-old spent four years at Old Trafford, having left Barcelona's youth team in 2004. He broke into the Manchester United first team in 2005, but never managed to nail down a place in Sir Alex Ferguson's starting XI.
The Spaniard returned to Barcelona in 2008 after managing just 25 appearances across competitions for the Red Devils.
He spoke to his former United teammate Gary Neville on Sky Bet's 'The Overlap', detailing his initiation into the senior set-up. Pique said (via Manchester Evening News):
"When I arrived in Manchester at Carrington, we had so many pitches and the grass was perfectly cut. On of my first days in the dressing room, you all played a game with me. I had to say who was the best and worst player of the team! It was one of the toughest things, I had to stand up on the table. That was my initiation, that was horrible and I don't remember what I said."
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique heaps praise on legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
Gerard Pique had words of admiration for legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who he deemed to be his second father.
The Spanish centre-back said:
"He [Ferguson] was like a second Dad, I always said that. He gave you that sense of trust, everything you needed, he was there. He wasn't just a coach. The first time I met him, I realised I had to make the move. It was a big change and I realised that when I arrived. In Sale, I started to live with an English family."
Pique isn't the first to speak of Ferguson's father-like attributes. Cristiano Ronaldo also shares a close relationship with the Scot. The Portuguese ace stated how integral the former United boss was in shaping up his career (via BleacherReport):
"He was a football father for me."
Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in English football history. The Scot won 13 Premier League titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies, among other honors, during his 27-year spell at United.
Since his retirement in 2013, the Red Devils have encountered a collapse. They will finish trophyless for the fifth straight season while also missing out on Champions League football for the next campaign.
Barcelona, meanwhile, also find themselves in the midst of a rebuilding phase. After parting ways with Lionel Messi last summer, Barca are trying to regroup under Xavi.
Although the Blaugrana will end the season without a trophy, they have shown reasonable signs of improvement since Xavi's appointment last November.
