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Barcelona legend Gerard Pique refused the offer of a farewell press conference from club president Joan Laporta, according to reports.

The defender, who has made 615 appearances for the Catalan giants, announced his shock retirement from football on Thursday night.

Pique is set to play in Barcelona's LaLiga clash with Almeria at the weekend at the Nou Camp before hanging up his boots.

The Spanish defender, 35, has won 30 trophies while at his boyhood club, while he also spent four years with Manchester United from 2004-2008.

And, according to Marca, Pique personally informed Laporta last week of his decision to retire, claiming it was in the best interests of himself and the club.

Pique has been under pressure to leave as the cash-strapped club aimed to get rid of his high wages, while he has played just nine times in all competition's this season, slipping down Xavi's pecking order at centre-back - and even behind left-back Marcos Alonso who has been preferred at times.

The president accepted Pique's decision and wanted to reveal the news at a joint farewell press conference in which the player and the club were present in.