Gerard Pique started a WhatsApp group to thrash Spain teammates at Real Madrid

Ever wonder why Gerard Pique is so unpopular in the Real Madrid dressing room?

Very few Barcelona players are on the Christmas card lists of their La Liga arch-rivals but Pique, in particular, tends to be the subject of more booing than his teammates whenever El Clasico takes place at the Bernabeu. Certain Spanish supporters have even turned on Pique due to his taunting of Real Madrid over the years, proven by the fact that a 2015 friendly between Spain and England had to be moved from the Bernabeu in order to avoid jeering from the fans in Pique's direction. The centre-half clearly gets a kick out of winding Real's players up and he's recently revealed that he set up a WhatsApp group to mock those international compatriots who represent Los Blancos.

"Everybody knows that footballers have text groups on WhatsApp. I have one just for my friends from home, and I have another just for my Barça teammates. But my favourite one might surprise you," Pique told The Players' Tribune.

"Earlier this season, when we were already eight or nine points clear of Real Madrid in the league, I started a special group for some of the guys on the Spanish national team who play for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"All we do in that group is talk sh*t to one another about Barça and Real! It's the best. We're just like little kids. And the truth is, it's especially hilarious for me right now, because now we're up 15 points on Real in the league. So I'm getting very creative in my responses."

Barcelona effectively have the league sewn up as they are 11 points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid while Real are a full 15 points behind the runaway leaders.

Pique had to put up with Real's players taking the mick when they were triumphant in their league and Champions League double last season but now that the tables have turned, he holds nothing back with his trolling.

"Last season, when the Real guys were winning everything, they were feeling pretty good. They were talking sh*t constantly whenever I saw them at national team training," he said. "Man, every time they won a match last season, they were posting shirtless photos on Instagram from the locker room. Remember that?

"They were smiling and flexing their muscles like The Rock and saying #HalaMadrid and posting little trophy emojis. This season, though, it's a different vibe. All their Instagram photos are looking very sombre. '3 points today. We must keep working harder!'

"So I'm texting them in the WhatsApp group, 'Come on guys, why so serious?!' Then I put a little crying emoji, and a laughing emoji. I even made a special name for the group. It's called: CONGRATULATIONS."