Gerard Pique Opens Up on Real Madrid Emoticon Tweet and Spain Whistles

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is happy to continue his controversial ways after opening up about his emoticon jibe at Real Madrid and the whistling he's encountered throughout the 2015-16 campaign.

The 28-year-old posted an emoji-filled tweet in December alleged to be laughing at Real Madrid's expense after it emerged that Los Merengues would be expelled from the Copa del Rey for fielding ineligible Denis Cheryshev.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Pais, Pique gave a mischievous account of events (via Sport): "The thing with the emoticons, I was watching Leo Harlem on La Sexta [an entertainment channel] and I was laughing a lot [twinkle in his eye, smiling]. No, seriously, I don’t thing [sic] we should take these things out of [proportion]."

The tweet in question was posted during Real's 3-1 win over Cadiz on December 2, in which Cheryshev netted the opener:

Amid all the calm and cool personalities in Luis Enrique's Barcelona squad, Pique sits as one of the more outspoken figures, ever happy to take a prominent role in their rivalry with Real Madrid.

According to Catalan daily Sport, the centre-back didn't do a lot to hide the fact that his tweet was aimed in the direction of Barca's El Clasico foes, particularly given the timing and the lack of any text surrounding the emoticons.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Pique has more recently appeared in the headlines for suggesting he and Spain team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa aren't friends following Real's 1-0 defeat to Villarreal, per Marca.

In that report, Los Blancos captain Sergio Ramos encouraged his compatriot to show more maturity: "To Pique I say that he must show respect for his fellow players. Lack of respect creates a bad atmosphere. In recent years we have had good examples like Puyol, Xavi, Raul and Iker, and we have to stay clear of foolishness."

But Pique's controversy isn't limited to the club scene, and his support for Catalan independence has seen him encounter boos and whistles both during Barcelona matches and on international duty.

Koji Sasahara/Associated Press

Those attempting to make the defender aware of their aggravation will be frustrated to hear their jeers don't always reach the intended target, however.

Pique told El Pais: "People go on about it and it adds to the morbo, it’s become fashionable, but sometimes I’m so focused on the game I don’t even notice. In one game I said to [Marc] Bartra at half-time: There were no whistles today, right? He just laughed. Apparently there were!"

BBC Sport's Andy West backed Ramos in his defiance against Pique's most recent outburst, admitting a line has to be drawn at some point:

Not much can deter Pique at present, however, considering his Catalan club currently lead La Liga and are ready to line up against Arsenal in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League in their quest for back-to-back trebles.

That success can tend to fuel an ego, and all the boos and whistles in Spain don't appear likely to quieten a player who, if anything, is only encouraged to achieve more in the face of his critics.