After finishing his professional career on Nov. 8 with a red card and the infamous last words of "I s**t on your prostitute mother!" aimed at the referee, Gerard Piqué has returned to the limelight with his latest business venture, serving as the president of the Kings League in Barcelona.
The 12-team league, which features a variety of changes from association football, began Sunday with all the action streamed on Twitch. The Kings League is undoubtedly aimed at a younger audience: it's seven-on-seven, 12 players per squad with unlimited substitutions, two halves of 20 minutes, sin bins for yellow (two minutes) and red cards (five minutes), one VAR challenge per team and with the introduction of "golden" cards.
Before the match, each coach selects one random golden card that they can play during the game. The cards yield instant results like the awarding of a penalty, the removal of an opposition player for two minutes, goals in the next minute count double, rob your opponent's card and a joker that lets you use any of the aforementioned "power-ups."
There were also some interesting players out there Sunday: 44-year-old Joan Capdevila (60 caps for Spain at left back), 45-year-old Espanyol legend Raúl Tamudo and the LA Galaxy's Chicharito (who won't play next week due to his commitments in MLS).
But I'm saving the best for last here. In The Kings League, there are no boring kick-offs. Much like how the XFL did away with the coin-toss and instead made two players sprint for a loose ball in midfield to earn possession, the Kings League puts the ball in the center circle and then teams sprint from their opposing goal-lines to get things started.
It's hilarious and really unproductive. Here's a collection of Sunday's efforts.
Empieza EL PARTIDAZO de la jornada.@Saiyans_FC_ VS @FCPorcinos @TheGrefg VS @IbaiLlanos pic.twitter.com/NxAZZoDO7Q
— Kings League InfoJobs (@KingsLeague) January 1, 2023
Vamos a por el quinto.
— Kings League InfoJobs (@KingsLeague) January 1, 2023
Empieza el partido @LosTroncosFC_ VS @XBuyer_Team
— Kings League InfoJobs (@KingsLeague) January 1, 2023
Empieza el @elbarrioklk_ VS @PIO_FC #KingsLeagueJ1 #InfoJobs pic.twitter.com/0MbqwBvOF5
— Kings League InfoJobs (@KingsLeague) January 1, 2023
EMPEZAMOS!!!@RayodeBarcelona ⚽️ @1kfutbolclub #KingsLeague #InfoJobs pic.twitter.com/dwmERM1Vp4
— Kings League InfoJobs (@KingsLeague) January 1, 2023
You know it's only a matter of time before someone rips a golazo straight from midfield — or someone gets an immediate red for going into a two-footed reducer.
