Gerard Pique has claimed Pep Guardiola once fined him for wearing a short-sleeve shirt at Barcelona because it put the centre-back's "health at risk".
Pique, 36, retired from playing in November after making more than 700 senior appearances for club and country. The former Spain international, who started his career at Manchester United, often wore a long-sleeve shirt and has now opened the lid on why.
Pique has pinned the blame on his former Barcelona manager Guardiola, who once "scolded" the defender for wearing a short-sleeve shirt during cold weather. Pique was wise to listen to Guardiola, as the Spanish coach helped him become a world-class player.
"Once it was very cold in Barcelona, but I was wearing short sleeves," recalled Pique, as quoted by GOAL. "A photo of me in the snow and me in short sleeves appeared. Pep saw it and scolded me, fined me, didn't call me for the game and made me pay for a meal for the team, as I was putting my health at risk."
Although Guardiola's punishment encouraged Pique to abandon short-sleeve shirts, the centre-back didn't mind too much considering the success he enjoyed as a player.
Pique was born in Barcelona and came through his boyhood club's famous La Masia academy before moving to Man Utd in 2004. Although he won the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League, the defender failed to make the grade at Old Trafford and re-joined Barcelona four years later - shortly after Guardiola became the manager.
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Pique went on to enjoy 14-and-a-half seasons at the Camp Nou - playing more than 600 senior games. He won 29 trophies with Barcelona and will pick up a 30th medal if Xavi's side go on to win LaLiga this term. That seems likely, as Barcelona are currently 15 points clear of bitter rivals Real Madrid in second having played a game more.
Pique also won a host of individual awards and earned 102 senior caps for Spain, winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
Guardiola, who has since managed Bayern Munich and now Manchester City, coached Pique until he left Barcelona in May 2012. "I think Pep had an impact on everyone who played under him in those four years," Pique told reporters in October 2016.
"I think there was a before and after with Guardiola, we understand football differently now and he changed the club’s history."
Pique has also admitted his relationship with Guardiola "soured" during his final season in charge, but the two are now on good terms. Pique said last year, "I met him in Abu Dhabi and we went for a coffee, I've always had a very close relationship with Pep.
"There are moments of ups and downs. The first three years were a bed of roses but the last one was brutal, I'm sure it was also my fault. You don't know why things start to go wrong, relationships start to go sour. It was a very complicated year on a person level. I will always be grateful to him, we have a very good relationship."
