Article by Goal.com

His decline is a cause for concern. Once considered one of the world's finest defenders and even earmarked as a future skipper at Camp Nou, Gerard Pique has looked clumsy and cumbersome in recent months - a shadow of the player he once was.

It has since emerged that Guardiola hired private detectives to spy on the defender in a desperate attempt to learn the full extent of his off-field behaviour and, in that final season under Pep, Pique played just 22 times in La Liga and only five games in the Champions League.

Slow and ungainly, the centre-back is now prone to making many more mistakes than in the past and has the dubious honour of having scored past his own team in each of the last two Champions League campaigns following Wednesday's own goal in the 3-1 win over AC Milan.

The previous own-goal had come against Bayern Munich in the Catalans' 3-0 home defeat to the Bavarians in the semi-finals of last season's competition, when the defender sliced the ball into his own net in a botched attempt to clear his lines

It was nott all Pique's fault. Barca were overrun in midfield and exposed down the flanks against Bayern, while the Spain stopper has not been helped by having to play with a number of different partners at centre-back, including Javier Mascherano (who is not a natural defender), Marc Bartra (still gaining experience at this level), Adriano (a left-back) and even Alex Song (a midfielder), nor by needing to cover for not one but two attacking full-backs in Dani Alves and Jordi Alba.

Alongside icon and club captain Carles Puyol, Pique produced his very best in Barca colours. With an experienced head to guide him, the former Manchester United man maintains his focus and stays switched on. "Often he'll be shouting 'Geri, Geri, Geri' and I'll turn around and say 'What?' and he will say 'Nothing - I just wanted to make sure you were concentrating,'" said Pique in 2011. It summed up the dynamic perfectly.

Puyol has also been known to furiously berate his team-mate after Barca have conceded a goal at 4-0 up - and it is that kind of commitment and concentration from which Pique benefited.On the pitch, he had Puyol beside him with constant instructions. Off it, there was Pep to stay on top of the young defender. However, with Puyol sidelined for much of 2011-12 and Shakira's influence now more prominent than that of Pep, Pique's lifestyle became an issue.

"Pique is a player who needs to be pushed and, without such a coach, he can become somewhat complacent," a source close to the Catalan club told Goal.

"There was a point when he seemed more interested in his celebrity life off the pitch and that is when his performances dipped. He put on weight and lost some of his pace, while he was also injured increasingly. Perhaps he lost some of his hunger as well, having won everything at such a young age."

Guardiola, in fact, had considered selling Pique prior to his decision to leave in 2012 but the defender remains a key part of the club's plans these days.

"The defence has had some problems but Martino is happy with Pique's contribution," the source added. "It's a long season and he is still working towards optimum fitness."

And at the end of the season, Spain defend their World Cup crown claimed in 2010 - with Pique a part of that team alongside Puyol in South Africa and likely to feature alongside Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos (his partner at Euro 2012) in Brazil.

"Pique is one of Spain's best players but he has had to play a huge amount of games over the last couple of years," former Los Blancos defender Alvaro Mejia told Goal. "That is perhaps why he has struggled physically but I am sure he will be in his best shape by the time the World Cup comes around."

Barcelona fans, however, will hope that he finds form much sooner than that.

<http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277/la-liga/2013/11/10/4397139/once-a-rock-now-a-wreck-what-has-happened-to-gerard-pique>

I think it is Shakiras fault . He became to involved in his off pitch life that he gives less importance to his performances! He should balance it not to abandon either one for the sake of the other . And in Barca He needs to be disciplined with Iron FiST like he was under Sir Alex , Pep and mentored by Puyol !

Lol, how is it Shakira's fault? It's Pique's own fault.

Barcelona had high hopes of making Pique into the outstanding individual that was Carles Puyol. But Pique seems to lack the concentration and leadership to be the same type of player as Puyol. I think that this excerpt from @Marcus' article just about sums it all up.

"Often he'll [Puyol] be shouting 'Geri, Geri, Geri' and I'll turn around and say 'What?' and he will say 'Nothing - I just wanted to make sure you were concentrating,'" said Pique in 2011. It summed up the dynamic perfectly.

LOL Hey I would not concentrate too if I was with Shakira. All i would think about on the pitch about when this match will be over I am running home and tapping that sweet asss of Shakira :D then during breaks between first and second i can enjoy few songs from her . PERFECT WIFE :D

On serious not yes , it sums up , but I think Pep hiring detective to watch him off the pitch says that there are more factors that effect his performance on the pitch . BEcause god damn Shakira seems to be always happy but not Barca with his performance :D

He is busy waka-waka'ing Shakira