Gerard Piqué has harshly attacked the Government of Andorra after learning that the team he presides over, FC Andorra, will not be able to play at the Estadi Nacional next season. The former Blaugrana has reacted through social networks to a news item from the Diari d'Andorra in which the Secretary of State for Sports and Youth, Alain Cabanes, assures that FC Andorra will not play at the Estadi Nacional, “not even in a competitive manner.” temporary while another stadium is being built or the FAF complex in Encamp has just been built.”
Piqué's anger has been monumental and he has not hesitated to criticize the Cabanes Government, whom he accuses of "leaving Andorra without professional football." “Thank you for expelling us from the country,” he wrote in a harsh message published on the social network ‘X’ this afternoon. “We have invested more than four million euros in adapting the Estadi Nacional so that LaLiga lets us play and now you throw us out. There is no sports facility in Andorra that has the conditions to be able to compete next year. Thank you for expelling us from the country. We have no other solution than to leave and change the name of the club. Congratulations, you have left Andorra without professional football,” wrote the president of Andorra.
The Minister of Culture and Sports, Mònica Bonell, has responded to Piqué through the Diari d'Andorra. He states that he "regrets" the former Blaugrana's tweet because "it does not respond to reality" and affirms that "the Government has welcomed FC Andorra with open hands and this is demonstrated by the fact that it has been given the Estadi Nacional, a facility that many used. clubs in the country.”
He adds that not only Piqué has made an important economic development in the facilities: "The Government has also invested in FC Andorra a direct subsidy from the Secretary of State for Sports and Andorra Turisme." Bonell explained that they have met on numerous occasions and that they will continue to do so to "seek solutions for next year and also for the future." “It is not ideal for anyone, but they do not rule out leaving the country temporarily until they have the new stadium and we hope they can explain their project to us,” he added.
It was a few days ago when the news broke that the Andorran Government intended to recover the stadium after the transfer agreement expired at the end of this season. Their intention is to convert it into a more versatile stadium and they even plan to change the surface to artificial grass, so it would not be possible for it to be used as a professional soccer field since this surface would not meet the requirements of LaLiga.
The only alternative that Sarabia's team could have would be the new stadium being built by the Andorran Football Federation (AFA) in Encamp, but the works would not be completed until November 2024, so it would not arrive in time for the start of the season. season. The other alternative would be the construction of a new stadium. Piqué has already held talks to acquire some land in Andorra, but it would not be a short-term solution if the Government is not willing to allow FC Andorra to continue playing there temporarily.
“We will help mediate or find a place so they can start the season as they should, but it will not be at the Estadi Nacional,” insisted Cabanes, who remains firm in the Government's position of not extending the agreement with FC Andorra that expires. in June 2024: “We had a date set with an agreement with rugby and the FAF and it will be respected.”
