Gerard Pique Talks Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona and More

Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has revealed his fears that when team-mate Lionel Messi decides to hang up his boots, "it will be like our father dying." 

So important has the superlative Argentinian been for Barca over the last decade that the 29-year-old Pique believes the Camp Nou giants' winning form of recent seasons will also go when Messi, 29, decides to retire, telling TV3's Fora de Serie (via AS):

"

[Messi] has been so completely unique, so decisive. ... When Messi calls it a day, it will be like our father dying and we will have to fly solo—and that is going to be tough. Will Barça always win? No. We have to try to bring in a new, winning era. The day that Messi goes, the ability to win which we have shown in recent years will go too; it will really leave us exposed. But that's what sport is like.

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Pique and Messi came through Barca's academy, La Masia, together, and they have both played a crucial part in the Blaugrana's senior team since the Spain international returned from his four-year spell with Manchester United in 2008.

Together they have won six league titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues and are part of arguably the greatest generation of players the club have ever produced—along with Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

Unlike Messi and the rest, though, Pique spent the early part of his senior career away from the Camp Nou, playing under Sir Alex Ferguson at United.

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He spent much of his time in Manchester playing second fiddle to Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic in the United back four but did win the Premier League in 2007/08.

At Old Trafford, Pique played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, who's on the other side of the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry and a constant competitor with Messi for the title of world's best player.

However, despite the Portuguese now playing for Barca's bitter rivals, Pique revealed he has a good relationship with Ronaldo following their time at United, revealing to Fora de Serie (via AS):

"

Our relationship is good. At Manchester United, he was one of the three or four players I got on best with. Cristiano is natural-born competitor—a machine. His mind, every inch of his body is made to try and be a better player every day, there's no one who is quite as ambitious as him. He's one of the best players in the history of football. Ambitious to the point of illness? All of the great stars reach that level of ambition, I don't know whether it's an illness or not. But those people are right at the limit.

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Pique also admitted to having a good relationship with another Real player, Sergio Ramos. He credited the Blancos and Spain skipper for helping develop the "really great mood" permeating the national team—La Roja claimed a draw against Italy and 2-0 victory over Albania in their recent FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Pique and Messi both have a number of good years left in their careers, but they will likely call it a day at similar times given they are the same age.

While Pique is dreading Messi's retirement, he has clearly thought about his life after his playing days, and though he does not feel he is right for coaching, he does think he could succeed in a top role at the Camp Nou, telling Fora de Serie (via AS): "Of course I would like to be Barca president because I can't really see myself in the role of a coach. I don't think I would enjoy that so much. But I see myself fitting into the president's job because this is a club which I feel passionately about."

It will likely be some time, though, before Pique ends his playing career, and his focus will be on returning Barca to winning ways.

Before the international break, manager Luis Enrique's side slipped to a 4-3 defeat against Celta Vigo in La Liga, and Barcelona will be eager to make amends on Saturday at home to Deportivo La Coruna.