Pique traces family ties in Japan

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique may have arrived in Japan last Sunday, but his extended family’s roots stretch much further back.

Br. Jordi Guitart, Pique’s great-uncle, came to Japan’s fourth-largest city of Nagoya 40 years ago as a missionary for the order of Saint Antoni Maria Claret.

Guitart’s sister, Montserrat, is Pique’s grandmother as well as the wife of Barcelona representative Amador Bernabeu.

With Pique’s parents as well as girlfriend and international pop star Shakira coming to Japan in the hopes of seeing Barcelona capture their second consecutive Club World Cup title, the tournament has become a family affair for the 24-year-old.

“It’s wonderful that my family can gather under one roof in Japan,” Pique told Spain’s Mundo Deportivo.

While the Spaniard watched his team’s 4-0 trouncing of Asian champions Al Sadd from the bench, he will hope for a place in the starting line-up when Barcelona plays South American kings Santos in the final on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the third-place match, also on Sunday, will feature two teams from the same confederation for the first time.

Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol and Al Saad are both determined to clinch a third-place finish.

Kashiwa will be at full strength, and manager Nelsinho intends to return home victorious.

There are no injuries to report, but there is a chance that veteran Hideaki Kitajima could start after an impressive performance off the bench in the 3-1 semi-final loss to Santos on Wednesday.

Al Sadd, for their part, will probably be much more involved in this match than they were against Barcelona on Thursday.

After being held to just 28 percent possession and two shots to Barcelona’s 19, the side coached by Jorge Fossati should put on a better show against Kashiwa.

Keita and Niang in particular will give the Japanese backline trouble, but much like in the Asian Champions League final, Al Sadd’s best chance will be to survive until penalty kicks.