GERARD PIQUE has asked for Barcelona’s internal rules be be rewritten — so he can run for PRESIDENT of the club.
The defender, 33, wants to stand for the role vacated by Josep Maria Bartomeu in October.
Gerard Pique wants a change to rules preventing current players from being Barcelona club presidentCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But under current Nou Camp statutes, a serving player cannot stand for election.
Pique’s grandfather Amador Bernabeu is a former vice-president so he has used his connections in his attempt to change the rulebook.
Pique has urged Carles Tusquets, the head of the club’s management board and interim President, to alter the regulations.
He is understood to have asked for 65,000 nomination forms to be sent to him to obtain the signatures needed to get on the January 24 ballot.
That will pit him against ex-President Joan Laporta, who previously endorsed his presidential ambitions.
He will also go up against Victor Font, the businessman who pledged to bring in legend Xavi as coach is he wins.
Pique has already branched out by creating his own business empire while continuing to be a part of Ronald Koeman’s squad.
The centre-back headed the consortium that turned the Davis Cup into a multi-nation tennis tournament.
He helped the club’s shirt deal with Japanese giant Rakuten, and is close to multi-billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Pique is involved in wife Shakira’s business interests and believes the time is right for him to take a pivotal role at the club.
Barca remain traumatised by the 8-2 Champions League humiliation by Bayern Munich last summer.
Pique helped to broker Barcelona’s shirt deal with Japanese firm RakutenCredit: AFP or licensors
While coach Koeman is struggling to impose his authority with Lionel Messi seemingly edging ever closer to the exit door.
But Pique is ready to unleash a slew of potential money-making ideas and schemes to put the club back on the right financial track.
And while Font and Laporta had scared off previous rivals for the crown, Pique’s entrance into the race would seem a likely game-changer.
18-year-old Pedri shows off his skills at Barcelona training
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
