Gerard Pique (35) is usually one of the most recurrent protagonists every time Real Madrid and Barcelona meet at the Santiago Bernabeu or at the Camp Nou.
The central defender, declared enemy of Real fans, is already used to receiving whistles and insults every time he visits the capital. Far from being affected by this situation, the defender tends to use it to his advantage.
The Catalan has faced the reigning LaLiga and Champions League champions on 42 occasions, although two of them as a Real Zaragoza player (he drew one and lost the other).
As a Azulgrana, partly because it has coincided with Barca's most successful period in its history, he has not done badly at all. Gerard has won 19 games and lost 12; the rest draws. This means that he has won practically half of the duels against his rivals.
Unforgettable memories
His debut at the Paseo de la Castellana took place on an unforgettable occasion for the blaugranas, who won 6-2 in May 2009. Beyond the result, he was fortunate to score the sixth and final goal in a match where the scoring was started by Higuain.
Ramos pulled one back at 1-3 down, but Messi and Henry scored two each to lead the Catalan side to a two-goal win (two goals apiece). The remaining goal was scored by Carles Puyol.
The next derby for Pique also ended in victory, but it is not as memorable as the famous manita, which he himself literally represented when the Camp Nou vibrated with the fifth goal of Jeffren, who at 34 years of age, plays in the second category of Thailand.
That iconic image became part of the collective imagination of the madridistas, who have made the number three the scapegoat in every match since.
A very different role
Pique, who was sidelined after the draw against Inter, could return to the bench for this Sunday's clash because Jules Kounde is also hoping to return to the squad after injury.
The heavy investment made by the club - it sold part of its assets to build a top-level squad and obtain results in the short term - is the main reason why the veteran player has been relegated to a secondary role. In fact, he did not make his debut in LaLiga until the fifth matchday against Cadiz.
This new role is undeniable, especially if we point out another fact: he was a substitute in the first three matches of the Champions League group stage and did not even have minutes against Bayern Munich. In the remaining two, against Viktoria Plzen and Inter Milan, he appeared in the second half, and in both cases for physical reasons of two teammates.
Kounde will be touch and go for the match at the Bernabeu, but if Xavi also has the possibility of using Marcos Alonso in that position, as we have seen recently.
The other healthy central defender, Eric Garcia, should be in the centre of the back line. Contrary to what has happened throughout his career, everything seems to indicate that Pique's reunion with the Bernabeu will be from the bench.
However that does not mean this derby veteran will not have a part to play.
