Barcelona defender and Spanish international Gerard Pique (22) shared his thoughts with a Catalan sports paper Sport. He believes he needs lot of work to reach the level of legendary Bayern Munich and German national team captain Franz Beckenbauer, whom Pique compares his style of game.

“I need to improve lot to become what he was. I don’t know if someday you can compare me with him, really. Anyway, I am me and he was Beckenbauer,” Pique said after practice. Some people are already calling him with a name “Piquenbauer”, because he can project the ball easily to attack. Like Beckenbauer, Pique can also play as defensive midfielder and be a useful asset when Toure Yaya and Seydou Keita are playing in the African Nations Cup.

Catalan defender recalled the time when he played for Zaragoza as a midfielder. He played there quite often and found that position comfortable, but Pique insists that his natural position is in the central defense. “I haven’t discussed with Guardiola about the midfielder role, but if he sees me fit to play there, I play there or where I please,” Pique added.

Besides being rock solid in defense, Gerard Pique has already scored twice this season and has recently played in the Spain national team. In any case, Pique wanted to make clear that won’t be the standard pattern of the season. “I don’t usually score much. The coach doesn’t ask a defender to do that, but if defense can help the team in that attack, it’s good. And when you go up, another player will cover your position.”

At the age of 22, Pique has become a clear selection for Barcelona and the national team, but he does not intend to “retire” his more experienced teammates, Rafael Marquez and Carles Puyol, who haven’t yet renewed their contracts. “They both deserve to renew for everything they’ve done for the club and the performance they are giving. It’s a pleasure to watch “Rafa” play and having a guy like “Puyi” in the locker room is such an honor. I expect him to retire here at home, with the captain’s armband on his arm.”

Barcelona has won almost everything possible this season and Pique says that the team has no intention to stop winning. Next week he will be called up by the Spain national team coach Vicente Del Bosque to help Spain confirm their qualification for the World Cup. But Pique knows, that he has a major commitment to Barcelona.

“In Saturday’s game against Almeria we will look for three points and then see what happens to Real Madrid against Sevilla. If we win and they don’t score points, we would be leaders alone.”