Gerard Pique was sitting in a Manchester restaurant contemplating his next move. It was raining, he wasn’t playing; he had to get away.

The conversation with Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t easy but his manager understood the young Spaniard’s reasons. Barcelona wanted him back and it was too good an opportunity to turn down. Pep Guardiola would later tell Ferguson it was the best signing he ever made.

Proof, seven years on, is that Pique has won every major honour and sits on the cusp of claiming the fourth Champions League title of his glittering career against Juventus in Berlin.

Gerard Pique insists he learned a lot from the likes of Manchester United duo Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand

Pique left Barcelona to join Manchester United in 2004 before sealing a move back to the Catalan giants

The 28-year-old enjoyed learning his trade from the likes of Paul Scholes, Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs

‘I moved to Manchester United when I was a 17-year-old kid,’ Pique remembers. ‘Nemanja Vidic was five years older than me and Rio Ferdinand nearly nine years and at the time they were the best central defenders in the world. They never had a bad game!

‘I learned so much during my time at United. Sharing a dressing room with Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ryan Giggs at such a young age was an amazing experience. I didn’t play as much as I would have liked but it was a masters degree in development both as a player and a person.

‘I know some have said since that I failed in the Premier League but, although I was in the shadow of two great players, I did contribute. In the 2008 Champions League campaign I played three times and scored two goals.

‘I’ll always be grateful to Sir Alex, who was like a second father to me, for letting me move back to Barcelona. He wanted me to stay and fight for a place, but he understood what Barca meant to me.’

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Pique had grown up in Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy with close friends Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi. As a teenager he would end up in trouble protecting the brilliant but small Argentinian boy on their team. Indeed, against one side, aptly named Damm, Pique was sent off after seeking retribution on those who had hacked away at Messi in a bid to intimidate him.

‘It’s true but Lionel can take care of himself now!’ Pique laughs. ‘Do you see how many challenges he overcomes every match? He never complains, just gets on with being the best player in the world.

‘I knew from the first time I saw him play that he was from a different planet. He’s the best player in the history of football. Maybe what’s even more impressive is that he hasn’t changed as a person – he’s still the same quietly confident, polite and humble guy that he was when we were kids.’

Pique’s path may have had its detour but he arrives in Berlin as one of the most accomplished centre backs of his generation. His languid style belies attributes which draw comparisons to a modern-day Franz Beckenbauer. Of course it helps to hone those skills every day against the likes of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

‘It’s hard to pick who is the toughest one in training,’ says Pique. ‘It’s intense every day. Suarez is amazing, a super talented player who’ll always give his all. Messi we’ve covered. And Neymar is another who is off the charts, a unique talent. The three of them together are the best forward line in the world right now and they keep us on our toes in training.’

Barcelona star Xavi (left) was joined by team-mate Andres Iniesta at his farewell event at the Nou Camp

Xavi is preparing to make his final appearance for the club, which will come in the Champions League final

Lionel Messi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Pique, Ivan Rakitic and Rafinha did not make Xavi's event

Often portrayed as the joker of Barcelona’s pack, Pique insists he has a more mature role in the dressing room now. Like his team this season he has gone through a renaissance. He has just sat through 40 minutes of interviews for the world’s press at a sun-drenched Nou Camp.

His English is still sharp while the fact he is dating Colombian pop singer Shakira makes him an even bigger draw for South American media. It’s not easy being the Latin equivalent to ‘Posh and Becks’ but Pique has adjusted comfortably to family life in the public eye.

He and Shakira have two sons, Milan and Sasha, and after taking a post-graduate course in Economics at the IESE Business School, Pique has founded his own business ‘Kerad’ and produced an online football game called Golden Manager. It has six million users.

‘I have two kids and try to spend as much time with them and their mum as possible,’ he says. ‘It may seem different from outside, but we have a pretty normal family life: walks, bike rides, dinners, movies, books, games.

‘I love technology too. Three years ago I formed a company and now we are a team of 35 and I’m really proud of our success.’

Pique relaxes with his partner Shakira and their two children during his time away from football

Pique and his Barcelona team-mates are currently gearing up for the Champions League final

PIQUE'S MEDALS AT BARCA La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15 Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15; Runner-up: 2010–11, 2013–14 Spanish Super Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11 UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011[2] FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011 Advertisement

It will be back to the day job for a final made all the more challenging by the emotion attached to his friend Xavi’s farewell. The 35-year-old midfielder will play his final game and said his official goodbyes at a tearful ceremony this week. It was one Pique and Messi were upset to miss as they were dragged in for UEFA doping control tests.

‘I’m pretty calm,’ Pique says. ‘My routine prior to a big game is the same for any other match. Eat, sleep, chat with teammates during the day and then as the match draws near I listen to my music on the trip to the stadium and zone in.

'Once we are in the dressing room, there’s more music but my Brazilian team-mates are the DJs. I love 80s music, but in the dressing room it tends to be more lively! When we walk out onto the pitch we are 100 per cent focused, but we are completely calm.’

Victory in Berlin would put Pique within touching distance of the 26 medal haul of his idol, Italy great Paolo Maldini. It’s a far cry from his United debut as a substitute in a League Cup tie at Crewe’s Gresty Road in 2004.

‘Nobody could have imagined that I’d arrive at Barcelona as the third-choice central defender and, not only consolidate my place on the team but also win the treble in my first season.’ he muses.

‘Since then we’ve won eight leagues, three Spanish Cups and two Champions Leagues and are on the verge of my third with Barcelona, the fourth for players like Xavi.

‘With the national team, winning the 2010 World Cup was unbelievable, it took me weeks to fully appreciate what we had done. The 2012 Euros was incredible too. I’m privileged to be doing what I love and with such an outstanding group of talented players, both at Barca and the national team. It is a fantasy that has come true.’

Pique, pictured with members of his staff at Kerad Games company offices, has released a football game

Pique employs 35 staff members to help himwith Golden Manager - a game which has over 6m users