Barcelona 'Concerned' About Gerard Pique After String of Ill-Advised Off-Field Actions

Spanish giants Barcelona are 'worried' about the off-field behaviour of defender Gerard Pique, according to a report in the Mirror.

The former Spain international has been attracting attention for the wrong reasons lately and was recently caught driving with no points on his licence (the Spanish equivalent of having too many points - they start out with a full slate and have them taken away for infractions) at a traffic stop.

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The club have confirmed that they will not punish the player, referring to the incident as a 'private matter', but they're said to harbour growing concerns over a string of questionable decisions taken by Pique and club chiefs reckon his actions are hurting Barca's reputation.

The latest incident could have seen him jailed as driving with zero points on one's license is a criminal offence in Spain and carries a six-month prison term as well as a fine of over £5,000.

Drivers in the country are given 12 points on their license but lose them if they commit traffic offences. If points go down to zero, the holder of the license is not allowed to drive unless a 24-hour course is completed and an exam is passed.

"I do not think these situations affect him," La Blaugrana coach Ernesto Valverde said following the traffic incident. "His name is always on everyone's lips, often without seeking the attention.

"He will deal with it in a professional manner."

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The player is also thought to have angered the club by being involved in the production of the "La Decision" video in which Antoine Griezmann publicly turned down a move to the Camp Nou.

While his involvement wasn't direct, the video was made by a company he heads called Kosmos Studios and he tweeted about it on four occasions. He also retweeted a tweet from Kosmos Studios claiming that said video was the number one trending topic in Spain and number three worldwide.

Pique also plays in various poker tournaments, something which is also believed to anger Barcelona's board. 

Four years ago, the centre-back was fined £10,500 for disturbing the peace and committing an offence against officials whilst being issued a parking ticket.

Despite the indiscretions, the player has signed a new deal to remain with the Primera Division title holders until 2022. But they're likely to hold talks with him over his recent behaviour if the Mirror's report is anything to go by.