Barca's coach Ronald Koeman won't criticize Pique over referee comments

BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman has defended center-back Gerard Pique's right to make comments about referees favoring Real Madrid.

Pique, who is injured, appeared on the YouTube show Post-United last week and was asked about a comment last year by former referee Eduardo Iturralde that 90% of referees in the country supported Real Madrid.

The defender said if that was the case then it was natural that match officials would give Real decisions, even if it was subconscious -- leading the Spanish FA (RFEF) to open a disciplinary investigation into Pique's remarks.

"It's not my problem. I won't get involved with Pique's comments, he's responsible and experienced enough to say (what he thinks)," Koeman told a news conference ahead of Saturday's La Liga game with Alaves at the Nou Camp.

"We have to be careful because you can get into trouble over small things. You have to try and be critical but always with respect and words that they can't do anything about."

Barca on Thursday posted a video on their Twitter account of an incident in their 2-0 defeat at Sevilla in the Copa del Rey semi-final, the first leg in midweek that they believed should have been given as a penalty. Agencies

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