LaLiga: Why FC Barcelona star Gerard Pique retired mid-season and Shakira's reaction on it

Gerard Pique delivered a piece of shocking news in the middle of the footballing season as the FC Barcelona star announced that he will retire from football. The senior player announced that he will play his last match for FC Barcelona on Saturday against Almeria, which is a La Liga fixture. While spending most of his football career at Camp Nou, which he proudly calls 'home', Pique's decision to retire will come as a shock to some and an understanding one for others.

FC Barcelona are way past their dominant era when the likes of Neymar, Iniesta, Xavi, Lionel Messi and more were just thumping every big team in Europe with ease. Instead of that, FC Barcelona are currently rebuilding themselves after Messi's departure to be one of the fearest clubs in European football once again. With that, Pique has found himself in an unlikely role of a subsitute player. The veteran is behind Ronaldo Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia in the lineup and has spent this season on the bench most of the times with only 3 starts.

As per GOAL.com, Pique in 2021 said, "I will retire at Barca. That is for sure. What I won't accept is playing as a substitute. If it comes to the last three months of a season and that happens, well... But a whole year on the bench? No, I don't want that."

Shakira's reaction to Pique's retirement

Many were expecting the Colombian singer to react on his former partner retiring from the sport of football after an astonishing career. However, the pop-star who had a tough separation after learning that the Spaniard cheated on her continued to promote her new single, Monotonia.

"MONOTONIA DETRÁS DE CÁMARAS Ya disponible en mi canal de YouTube! Behind the Scenes now available on my YouTube channel!" wrote Shakira on Instagram, along with a video clip. The song however has lyrics like, "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't my fault/ It was monotony's fault/ I never said anything but it hurt/ I knew this would happen," which has left the fans speculating that the song is somehow meant for her former lover Pique.