LONDON // Gerard Pique, the Barcelona defender, is set to come up against his former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney at Wembley Stadium tomorrow night. And he is unsure whether knowing so much about Rooney's talents is a good or bad thing.
"I have never seen a player as powerful as Wayne Rooney," Pique said.
"The way he goes past people, the intensity of his play, the runs he makes from the first minute to the last and the shot that he has. World-class."
Pique, 24, has given much thought to Rooney this week and to what role he will play.
"Wayne will be more dangerous as a striker," he said. "He is always a striker at heart. We will have to be really focused not to give him space, not to give him time, not to score goals."
The pair have kept in touch since the Catalan departed Old Trafford in 2008 after a three-year spell.
"We were close at United," he said. "One day I remember the boss made us both change our boots in training as he didn't like us wearing yellow ones. We have a good relationship, but during the game there are no friends."
Pique also retains respect for his former manager.
"Sir Alex is always 'the Boss', and always will be," Pique said. "He's absolutely incredible. He's won loads of titles and has made Manchester United the best team in England."
United snared Pique, who had excelled at youth level, as a 16 year old from Barca in 2004. He was a patient learner in Manchester, but his first-team opportunities were limited to 14 starts and nine substitute appearances over three seasons; a fourth was spent on loan to Real Zaragoza.
Does he think United regret letting him go?
"Maybe Alex would want me to still be in Manchester, but you'd have to ask him," said the Spanish World Cup winner.
"I don't know if he regrets letting me leave. At the time I left it was a good decision for him, for me, for Manchester and Barcelona.
"When I arrived here I was lucky to have a lot of minutes to show that I could play. Maybe I could have done that at United, but I decided to leave.
"I didn't play all the time at United, that was the problem. Rio Ferdinand and [Nemanja] Vidic played every week, which I could understand because they were so good, the best pairing in the world.
"It was almost impossible for me to break into the team; that's why I had to leave. Ironically, when I left they started to get injured. As soon as I started playing regularly at Barca, fans saw me at my best."
He has thrived since he settled at Barca, winning three league titles, the 2009 Champions League against United and the World Cup with Spain a year later. Yet he does not rest on his laurels.
"It's a challenge every day at Barcelona, training with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and all the others," he said.
"I try to do my best. I'm fighting against the best players in the world and you have to be really, really good to stop them.
"It was the same in Manchester, when I was there. Every day I had to train with Rooney, [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano [Ronaldo] and every day was a challenge."
He faces one of his biggest challenges tomorrow night, marking Rooney once again.
sports@thenational.ae
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
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THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Quick facts on cancer
- Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, after cardiovascular diseases
- About one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer in their lifetime
- By 2040, global cancer cases are on track to reach 30 million
- 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
- This rate is expected to increase to 75 per cent by 2030
- At least one third of common cancers are preventable
- Genetic mutations play a role in 5 per cent to 10 per cent of cancers
- Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved annually by implementing the right health
strategies
- The total annual economic cost of cancer is $1.16 trillion
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
