Gerard Pique blasts Barcelona for blaming him, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba for financial woes

Gerard Pique has blasted former employers Barcelona after the departure of a number of club legends this season, who he believes were blamed for the Blaugrana's ongoing financial issues.

Pique hung up his boots for good earlier in the 2022-23 season, before club captain Sergio Busquets and veteran defender Jordi Alba confirmed they would leave the Nou Camp at the end of the season.

As a result, the most senior and most experienced players in the Barca dressing-room have now departed, with Busquets the last surviving player from Pep Guardiola's Treble-winning side in 2009.

The club has been crippled by financial struggles for several years, with apparent mismanagement leading them into economic despair, with a number of big-money signings made in the last six years since the departure of Neymar.

But there have also been hefty contracts dragging down the wage bill, with the likes of Busquets and Alba still on expensive deals that the club had been keen to get rid of in the hopes of better balancing the books.

However, Pique has taken aim at the Catalan giants, claiming that although he is happy with his decision to leave and alleviate some of the economic distress, he does not see that much has changed.

'I'm glad I left because I gave Barça space on the salary scale. But it seems that, despite this, there are still financial problems,' he told Ibai Llanos and other members of the Kings League - one of his several post-retirement ventures.

'I wonder who should go now. They said that we are responsible for our salaries (Pique, Busquets, Alba).

'Now, we've all left and yet they can't sign players!'

Barcelona's financial disorder left them being told they must generate £178million just to comply with LaLiga rules back in March, and the departures of both Busquets and Alba will surely have gone some way to achieving this goal.

However, they have been vocal in their desire to bring Lionel Messi back to the club this summer, after it was confirmed he was leaving PSG, and the player is also keen to make a deal work.

But to push a deal through - with Messi's original departure coming after an inability to pay his £500,000-a-week wages - the club will have to generate money by offloading players on the wage bill or selling several current stars.

Barca are due to meet La Liga officials to make a presentation regarding their finances and Messi wants to make a quick decision over his next choice.

As well as Barcelona, Messi is thought to be attracting the interest of David Beckham's MLS side Inter Miami and Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.

Busquets' departure potentially raises another issue in their pursuit of bringing Messi back.

The midfielder has an unofficial pact with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner that they will play at least one more season together before they retire.

Busquets has not been short of offers since bring a close to his Barca days, ending an 18-year association that saw him lift 32 trophies in 15 seasons with the senior side.

The legendary midfielder had been offered a new deal at the Nou Camp, but it would involve the Spaniard penning terms that see him take a 70 per cent pay cut.

He has been offered around €15million (£13m) a season tax-free to join Al-Hilal, who are also interested in taking Alba as well, in a move that could see all three former Cules join up in the Middle East.

The left back had wanted to see out his deal so as not to lose out on the €17m (£15m) he was due to pick up in his final season but that would be easily compensated by the Saudi Arabian club.

Manager Xavi has spoken of how difficult he has found it to move on players that he spent so many years with in his own playing days at the club.

In an interview on 'Gol a Gol' on Spanish television channel TV3 as per Marca, Xavi said: 'When you have to make decisions contrary to what the player would like, it starts to be difficult.

'I had to tell Pique to step aside, that he would play less. It was even hard for me to sleep, because we had enjoyed a lot together.

'With Jordi Alba you have the feeling that you are failing as a friend, but you have to prioritize the team.

'It happened to me with Luis Enrique, you don't understand it, you have the feeling that you have to play after so many years as a starter.'