Barcelona defender Gerrard Pique has talked about his admiration of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, but believes that Barcelona have become a much better club than Real Madrid over the past 15 years.
It is the Portuguese strikers drive and determination that make him one of the best players in the world; Pique admits you have to admire his work ethic as the two teams prepare for the first of this season’s El Classico’s
The 26-year-old Pique is quoted in Spanish sports daily MARCA as saying: “[Cristiano Ronaldo] has not changed; he is a player that I have always admired because he is a hard worker that always wants more and more.
“He is a real machine and very ambitious. He never ever stops trying to improve.
“Some say he is the best but he still wants to get better, and for that reason I admire him.”
Pique goes on to say that it is Barcelona’s youth academy that is to credit for the teams catching up and surpassing los Blancos these past 15-years.
“Barcelona has always been behind Real Madrid, but in the last 10 or 15 years we have turned the situation around,” he continued.
“We are talking about a Real Madrid that has dominated football for 90 years and that has always been ahead of us.
“We have brought through a great crop of youngsters at the club and this has helped us to compete.
“Real Madrid go one year without winning a title and they spend €160 million on three players: [Asier] Illarramendi, Isco and [Gareth] Bale. Barcelona can sign Neymar for €60 or €70 million but not three players.
“The day we do not have La Masia, things won’t be the same.”
