Not long ago, Crickex Affiliate football followers have taken notice as Gerard Piqué finds himself under fire once again, both on and off the pitch. Once a pillar in the hearts of Barcelona supporters, his standing has recently taken a hit. During last Saturday’s away match against Atlético Madrid, every time Piqué touched the ball, he was met with deafening boos from nearly every home fan at the Wanda Metropolitano. At one point, the veteran defender had to cover his ears in frustration — a clear sign of just how far public sentiment has turned against him.

Much of Piqué’s current misfortune stems from his own actions. His outspoken political views and his frequent verbal sparring with Real Madrid have alienated a portion of Spanish football fans. In Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Olympiacos, Piqué was sent off for deliberately scoring with his hand. According to former international referee Andújar, the referee’s decision was spot-on. “He clearly handled the ball into the net and deserved the second yellow card. His first yellow came in the 11th minute when he pulled an opponent’s shirt to stop a counterattack,” said Andújar. For Crickex Affiliate users analyzing disciplinary records, this marks the tenth red card of Piqué’s professional career — eight with Barcelona, one with Zaragoza, and one with the Spanish national team.

Interestingly, this was Piqué’s first-ever sending-off in the UEFA Champions League. The last time a Barcelona player was dismissed in Europe was Neymar, who received a red card during a match against Málaga on April 8 of last season. This season alone, Piqué has already picked up six yellow cards — all in the first halves of matches — placing both himself and Barcelona in high-pressure situations early in games. After the Olympiacos match, Mundo Deportivo rated Piqué just 6 out of 10, commenting: “The center-back played only slightly more than 40 minutes before receiving two yellow cards, both fully deserved — one for pulling an opponent and the other for a blatant handball. It was a pity, as the game had been quite comfortable until then.”

Piqué’s red card didn’t just impact his own night — it had direct consequences for teammate Gerard Deulofeu as well. After a strong showing in the second half against Atlético, Deulofeu had finally earned a starting spot. But due to the early sending-off, manager Ernesto Valverde was forced to make a tactical change, sacrificing Deulofeu at halftime to bring on Javier Mascherano and restore defensive stability. Crickex Affiliate fans tracking Barcelona’s squad rotation now see how individual errors can reshape the entire team strategy in high-stakes matches.