Piqué on the Barça-Madrid Classic: a subtle victory lap after Montjuïc triumph
The former Barcelona center-back stepped into the spotlight on social media just after Barça clinched victory at Montjuïc. While Gerard Piqué did not take the field during the Women’s Clasico, his presence in the celebration was felt as he leveraged the overwhelming win to send a pointed message to Madrid.
Following the Women’s Clasico, which finished with a decisive 5-0 result for the home side, Piqué shared a distinctive gesture on his official X account—now rebranded as X. An open hand with five raised fingers appeared to mirror the crowd’s display in Madrid earlier that day, signaling a symbolic nod to the crowd and the match’s final scoreline.
Piqué’s recurring five-finger salute
The five-finger gesture has become a recurring motif for Piqué whenever Barcelona scores five against Real Madrid. In 2018, at the celebration of the fifth goal against Madrid, Arturo Vidal inspired the moment as teammates formed a playful gesture, with Piqué lifting his hand in the air to share the moment with Camp Nou. The gesture resurfaced in celebrations of Barça’s 5-0 win in 2010 under Jose Mourinho, marking a longstanding rivalry ritual.
Piqué has long balanced his competitive edge with a flair for showmanship. While the anti-Madrid sentiment is a public facet he often displays, the gesture is generally understood as a sporting tribute rather than a personal attack. Among Merengue supporters, he is widely regarded as one of the most polarizing figures in modern football.
The Classic, five goals for Barça
The Montjuïc arena hosted a vivid Barça performance in the 2023/24 season’s Women’s Clasico, where the team claimed a 5-0 win over their Madrid rivals. Even in the absence of key players like Alexia Putellas, who watched from the stands after an injury against Benfica in the Champions League, Barça dominated the match with goals from Aitana Bonmatí, Marta Hansen, Mapi Caldentey, Claudia Pina, and Vicky López. The victory extended Barça’s lead at the top of the league standings and reinforced their status in the domestic race.
Source: Goal