Pique: 'Florentino Perez has qualities that Bartomeu never had'

Pique says Bartomeu lacked the leadership and was hiding from the problems.

The centre-back adds that he asked Bartomeu several times to discuss the burning issues but he never showed up.

"The club needed more leadership; for the president to show his face," Gerard Pique told Ibai Llanos in the interview when asked on Josep Maria Bartomeu's resignation.

"We went from a misunderstanding to a problem - and that's how it ended. When you try to escape from problems, everything becomes very complicated. Problems are not solved by themselves," he added

"It happened more than once that I said 'President, come to the dressing room. Come to the training ground. We have to talk.' and it never happened."

Pique concluded with a rather big statement: "[Real Madrid president] Florentino [Perez] has qualities that Bartomeu never had."

Bartomeu resigned last October after a trophyless season and several off-field issues, including the notorious social media scandal, Leo Messi's attempt to leave and the coaching merry-go-round.