Leaked documents reveal Pique was best paid centre back in the world as Barcelona struggled

Leaked documents have revealed how Gerard Pique was the best paid centre back in the world at a time when Barcelona considered him to be harming the club.

Earlier this year it was revealed that Xavi had concerns about Pique's business interests being a distraction. However, it has now emerged that long before that, the club believed the defender's other interests were in fact damaging to its reputation.

This goes back to when Pique's company Kosmos produced the documentary in which Antoine Griezmann revealed he was rejecting Barcelona to stay at Atletico Madrid - only to then make that very move a year later.

Then president Josep Maria Bartomeu decided to open a file on Pique as it was becoming clear that his business operations were beginning to represent a conflict of interests. All this is according to information obtained by El Mundo in what is becoming known as 'Barcaleaks'.

The Blaugrana contemplated punishing Pique at the time, but decided that such a move would not be prudent. This was partly due to the potential backlash, but also because they were already hoping to convince him to take a pay cut.

Paid more than Sergio Ramos

The contract Pique had with the club at the time guaranteed him 142 million euros over five seasons (2017/18 to 2021/22). The deal offered him a minimum of 28.4 million euros per season, before bonuses.

When that contract was negotiated, Pique's request to the board was explicitly to be the highest-paid central defender in the world. According to sources close to the deal, it was important to him to be on more money than Sergio Ramos, then of Real Madrid.

The contract did indeed fulfil that wish and Pique went on to earn 15 million euros per season after tax, more than Ramos' 12.5 million.

Eventually, however, Pique did accept a salary cut, which really took the form of wages being delayed and backloaded into a contract extension. This helped the club stave off the worst effects of the pandemic, even if it came too late to help them retain Lionel Messi.