Gerard Pique arrived at the Catalan Football Federation awards gala in the nick of time to get the award for best player of the year, fresh off a flight from London. He said: "I didn't think I could make it, I thought I wouldn't arrive, so sorry for how I'm dressed. The truth is that Riqui Puig has outdone me today!" he joked, with the Barca youngster kitted out smartly for the event.

"I'm proud of getting the award and I thank the team-mates, the club, without them I would not be what I am and I hope that it's a successful year."

Pique insisted: "My priority is football, football, football. Are the directors of the newspapers here? Because lately the truth is that they love me a lot. It seems I can be distracted by the Davis Cup but this prize is for all the work from last year and this year will be the same. Things can go better or worse, but I think that I have shown that the love for the shirt is sacred and will be until the day I retire. If we win lots of titles, I'm sure that those who write will stop saying we're distracted."