More leaked audio from a conversation between Gerard Pique and Luis Rubiales has emerged in which the Barcelona star can be heard urging the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to get him into the 2020 Olympics squad.
Pique's role in moving the Supercopa de Espana to Saudi Arabia was highlighted in the first set of audio leaks published by 'El Confidential', as his company Kosmos convinced the RFEF to expand the traditional format of the competition.
Spanish football's governing body signed a deal with the Middle Eastern company worth over €100 million in 2019 after Pique highlighted the potential financial benefits, and the defender also spoke to Rubiales about arranging a meeting with U21 national team boss Luis de la Fuente.
What did Pique say in the latest audio leaks?
Pique wanted to play for Spain at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which eventually went ahead last summer after a 12-month delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Barca star wasn't included in La Fuente's final squad as Spain won a silver medal in the competition, despite having made plans to try and influence the manager's decision after the 2019 U21 European Championship.
"You have to do this for me, eh Rubi, you have to get it (a place in the Olympics squad) for me, damn it," Pique is heard saying to RFEF chief Rubiales. "I'm excited that we play the Olympic Games. We have to keep it very secret and tell the coach (La Fuente) when they finish, in September or whenever.
"When the competition is over, I'm going to Madrid and we'll sit down with him, man, and... I'd be thrilled.
"Let's see how we can manage it so that it doesn't appear anywhere. I think this has to be kept very secret between the three of us until the end. Don't you think so?
"If this leaks or whatever, there are going to be other players who are going to want to go and that is going to be a problem for him (La Fuente) too, so tell him, above all, that this stays between the three of us and that if he ever wants to talk I'll go to Madrid in a moment and we'll talk, okay?"
Pique also referenced the Super Cup deal with Saudi Arabia as he continued: "And congratulations, man. I think we've got a fucking contract with the Saudis."
Pique's response to the leaks
Pique described the publication of the first set of audio leaks as "illegal" and insisted that he had simply presented the RFEF with a golden business opportunity that benefitted all parties involved.
The 35-year-old refused to apologise for his financial dealings away from the pitch, as he said on Twitch: "Everything we have done is legal, I'm going to expose my part in the conflict of interest, I want to show my face because I have nothing to hide. I am proud of what we do at Kosmos.
"We wanted to change the format of the competition and make it more interesting for the viewer. That has repercussions on income. The president, Luis Rubiales, really liked the idea.
"Saudi Arabia was not the only option. The United States and Qatar were on the table. In the end, they decided to go to Saudi Arabia.
"I brought an opportunity for the RFEF. Before changing the format, they earned 120,000 euros for the competition, after the movement they earned 40 million euros.
"Regarding the recordings, it's an audio taken out of context. I simply help the president to find a formula that makes sense. It's an audio taken out of context.
"It's a malicious leak. What is news is the audio leak itself, which has been illegally leaked. Not the information in it.
"Do I have to apologise? For this? Well, I'm not going to do it, from here on let everyone think what they want."
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