SOCCER-BARCA/NEWSER Pique enjoying time in U.S. as Barcelona prepares for upcoming season

Record ID: 146284

  • Title: SOCCER-BARCA/NEWSER Pique enjoying time in U.S. as Barcelona prepares for upcoming season
  • Date: 26th July 2015
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (JULY 26, 2015) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF W HOTEL WHERE BARCELONA TEAM IS STAYING - BARCELONA PLAYERS GERARD PIQUE AND MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE PIQUE AND TER STEGEN AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(English) BARCELONA PLAYER GERARD PIQUE ON 3-1 LOSS TO MANCHESTER UNITED AND UPCOMING MATCH AGAINST CHELSEA SAYING: "We try to p
  • Embargoed: 10th August 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4NQP6O01YJM8KGBCDPGF2TK2J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Gerard Pique and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen said Sunday (July 26) they are enjoying their time in the United States as Barcelona tours in preparation for the upcoming season.
    "While we are on tour it's actually harder to train, but we are training very well," Pique told reporters at the W Hotel where the team is staying. "Even though we lost yesterday, we are playing well and I am in good physical condition, I think we are working hard, I'm very happy to be in the United States."
    Barcelona left San Francisco for Washington, D.C. immediately after the team's 3-1 loss to Manchester United and plans to hold a practice session later on Sunday to prepare for Tuesday's matchup with Chelsea as the International Champions Cup continues.
    "We try to play a good game, like we played yesterday, yesterday wasn't a bad game it was a good game but we were a little bit unlucky and the pitch wasn't really good to play football and we try to have a good result," Pique said of the loss to Man Utd at Levi's Stadium, home of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers.
    Ter Stegen, who is vying to be the number one goalkeeper on the squad, said the time spent on tour was helping him improve his skills.
    "I'm happy to be here and I want to improve my skills now in the preseason and to be prepared for the next season and if I have the chance to play of course I will try my best in the matches," Ter Stegen said.
    Pique was also asked about the status of striker Pedro who is rumored to be moving to Manchester United.
    "What I can say is that I understand perfectly a player like Pedro wants more minutes, he's been a world champion, he's won many, many games with Barca and it's a situation with three players ahead - who we can say are the three greatest players in the world - and Pedro has to make a decision, hopefully he will stay because his performance has been, as I've said, world class, but he has to make the decision and finally it's the decision of the club," Pique told reporters.
    Barcelona will return to Europe after the Chelsea match.
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