“Sucked coins” before alcohol control: Gerard Pique’s explosive confession
Gerard Pique
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At a young age, Gerard Pique played in England. There he also had trouble with the police and briefly saw his career as over.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has admitted he was drunk driving early in his Manchester United career – and used what he believed to be a trick to get away with a police check.
“I ran a red light, was stopped by the police and taken away. It was the year before I switched to Barca (2007/08 season, ed.)”, Pique said on the YouTube channel The Wild Project. “I could already see it in front of me: I have to blow, my value is too high and I will be held accountable. My career was mentally at a crossroads, suddenly the drunkenness seemed to have blown away.”
Pique continues: “At the station you have to put all your personal belongings in a bag, after that I had to wait in a closed room. When the policeman left the room, I was so desperate. I still had a few coins on me and had heard once that sucking them can affect your breathalyzer result. So I did, and miraculously I was spared further trouble, although to this day I have my doubts it was the coins.”
Pique played for Manchester United for two years
Instead of making his way home relieved afterwards, young Pique moved on. “I took a cab to the casino,” he finished.
Pique was under contract with the Red Devils from 2004 to 2008. However, he did not get many chances under coach Sir Alex Ferguson. He made his breakthrough only after returning to Spain, where he won the Champions League four times with Barca.