Barcelona coach Quique Setien says he does not have a problem with Gerard Pique's business interests as long as they do not distract the defender from his on-field duties.
The experienced centre-back has built a growing empire with his involvement in various businesses and investments.
With his company Kosmos Tennis, Pique helped transform the Davis Cup in Madrid, which he described as "the project of my life", while he has also invested in isotonic drinks, sunglasses, esports and organic hamburgers. Pique even took a course on 'the business of Entertainment, Media and Sports' at Harvard University a few years ago.
The 32-year-old's commitment to his playing career has been called into question as his business dealings take him around the world despite his intense schedule with Barcelona and the Spain national team.
But Setien, who replaced Ernesto Valverde as Barca boss earlier this month and has won three of his first four games in charge, says he has no problem with Pique's off-field ventures, as long as he keeps giving his all in training.
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"I am not the father of any of them. I am only their coach. I will worry about one of them when they do not train well," he said in an interview with Sport. "What am I going to tell him about what he can and cannot do?
"Pique is mature and responsible for what he can do and what he can't. I see him train well, willingly. What he does in his private life... I'm not on top of these things."
But the 61-year-old has warned that he will not hesitate to drop any of his star players should they fail to impress in training during the week.
"If I see that their performance drops, another will play because the one they are going to blame is me," the former Betis and Las Palmas coach added. "I will play the one that best solves the games for me."
Pique, a product of Barcelona's famous youth academy, has made 26 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan side this season and his contract runs until 2022.
