Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has highlighted former team-mate Wayne Rooney as the danger when they face Manchester United in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.
Pique knows the United side well having spent four years at Old Trafford up until 2008. He moved aged just 17 but failed to make an impact on the first team and ended up moving back to Catalonia.
He has since established himself among the best defenders in the world, winning the treble in his first season back at Barca including the Champions League beating United in the final in Rome. He now finds himself again facing his old side and knows that he will have to be at his best to contain Rooney.
“He is one of the best strikers in the game and has scored a lot of goals,” said Pique. “I will have to concentrate hard to not to give him space. I have a good friendship with him but we both want to win this game and we will be fighting for our own interests.
“It was always difficult playing against him in training as it is with (Lionel) Messi now,” added Pique. Pique, who was a pivotal member of the defence when Spain at last won the Woirld Cup last year, also paid handsome tribute to United manager Sir Alex Ferguson who he feels has had a big bearing on his career.
“He has won loads of titles and although the teams change he keeps on winning. I had several really good years there but Barcelona is my home and I wanted to return here.