Gerard Pique Announces Retirement From Football, Confirms Date of Barcelona Farewell

• Gerard Pique announces he is retiring from football and will play his last match for Barcelona this Saturday
• The Spanish international's final match for the Barcelona will be this Saturday at the Camp Nou
• The former Manchester United defender has won 30 major trophies during his 14 year career at Barcelona

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has announced that he will retire from football when the Spanish league breaks for the World Cup this month.

According to the 35-year-old, Saturday's LaLiga game against Almeria will be his last for the Blaugrana at Camp Nou.

The central defender has spent 14 years in the first team following his return from Manchester United in 2008.

Xavi Hernandez's side will travel to Osasuna next weekend for their final fixture before the World Cup in Qatar.

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In a video posted on Twitter, sighted by Sports Brief, Pique disclosed that he is retiring and doing so this weekend.

"For weeks there has been talk about me," the Spain international said in a video posted across social media via ESPN.

"I have not said anything but I want to speak now.

"I have always said that after Barcelona there will be no other team and that is how it will be. Saturday will be my last game at Camp Nou.

Barcelona have been looking for ways to offload Pique in order to make space in their salary cap.

According to Marca, Joan Laporta and his board tried cancelling the centre-back's contact last season but he was adamant about staying put.

This season, Pique has fallen behind Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia in Barcelona's central defensive pecking order.

He has clinched 30 major trophies during his 14 year stint at Camp Nou.

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Barcelona board want Pique out

Sports Brief earlier reported that Barcelona are putting pressure on veteran defender Gerard Pique to leave the club before next summer.

The 35-year-old was one of the worst-performing players in the Catalan giant's 3-3 draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday night.

The Spanish international made the error that led to Nicolo Barella’s goal. The centre-back's incompetence played a key role behind Barcelona’s vulnerable defence that conceded thrice.