Gerard Piqué Breaks Silence on Shakira Split: I’m ‘Protecting’ My Kids

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Shakira’s ex, Gerard Pique, said in a new interview that he’s ‘very happy’ following their messy split and is ‘focused’ on their two children.

Gerard Piqué finally addressed his split from Shakira nine months after the longtime couple called it quits. The retired soccer player, 36, explained in an interview with El Pais (published March 23) that he’s putting his attention towards his two sons that he shares with Shakira, 46, in the wake of their split. “Everyone has their responsibility to try to do what is best for their children,” Gerard told the outlet. “It is about protecting them,” he added. “That is the job of all parents with children. That is what I am focused on and that is my job as a father.”

Gerard didn’t reveal where he currently stands with Shakira in the interview. But he did confirm that he’s “very happy” amidst his relationship with his new girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti, 24. “I keep doing what I want,” Gerard said. “The day I die, I will look back and hope I have always done what I wanted. I want to be faithful to myself. I’m not going to spend money cleaning up my image.”

The father-of-two continued, “The people that I love and care about are the ones who know me. The rest isn’t important to me. I spend my energy on being with my loved ones and giving them what I have. I’m very happy. There have been changes in my life and I have known how to preserve happiness.”

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Shakira and Gerard were together for over ten years, and had two sons together, Milan, 10, and Sasha, 8, before they called it quits last June. “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the couple’s official statement read at the time. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.” A few months after the split, Shakira released a diss track called “BZRP Music Sessions #53” where she outright shaded Gerard for allegedly cheating on her with Clara while they were still together.

More recently, Shakira shaded Clara (who Gerard went Instagram official with on Jan. 25) during an interview with Canal Estrellas on Feb. 27. “There is a place in hell reserved for women who don’t support other women,” she told the outlet at the time. In a more recent interview on The Tonight Show, Shakira admitted that she’s “had a very rough year” after her separation from Gerard. She said that her new music has “been a healthy way to channel my emotions.”