Gerard Pique denies rift with Sergio Ramos and refuses to take ‘easy route’ and retire over Catalan Independence row

BARCELONA defender Gerard Pique has denied any rift between him and Sergio Ramos and will not be walking away from the national team.

The former Manchester United man was the target of abuse from Spanish fans watching the side train this week.

The Barca defender voiced his criticism of the violent scenes in Barcelona after Catalonia overwhelmingly voted for independence from Spain.

The 30-year-old condemned the way Spanish police handled the referendum and offered to retire from the national side if his views were a problem.

Pique did admit he had considered walking away from international football, but is now fully focused on next year’s World Cup in Russia.

He said: “I have thought about it because you have to consider all options but I think it is better to continue and not give in to those who only want to whistle and insult, my team-mates are also in favour of me staying.

“I want to go out in the best way possible, I don’t want to depart through the back door feeling that I have not done things properly.

“This is my family, I want to go on for them, there will be people whose opinion (of me) I cannot change but I feel strong and I want to turn this situation around.”

Pique was keen to answer all questions at the media briefing, with no subject was off limits ahead of the World Cup qualifiers double-header with Albania and Israel, he also denied reports there was any beef between himslef and Ramos.

Pique added: “A lot of lies and talk has been about me and Ramos but we are very close and get on extremely well.

“My relationship with Ramos is great, and what is more, we are going to be business partners.

"It’s too easy to just say that when we turn up at training we need to have these clear the air talks because we are so far apart.

“It’s a lie, we are close.”