Pique hits back: Arbeloa's someone I know, he's not a friend

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique showed his face in the mixed zone after the Catalan side allowed a two-goal lead to slip against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday. He recognised the team’s fault in allowing Depor back into the game, but also pointed out the team are still alive in all three competitions heading into the new year. 

He also had time to respond to Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa’s recent comments. As is usual with Pique, he responded in a very ironic way in front of television cameras. Remember that after Pique tweeted laughing emoticons in reference to Madrid fielding an ineligible player in the Copa del Rey, Arbeloa referred to him as a “friend” and said he would see him “in a comedy club” talking about Madrid in the years to come. 

When asked if he was friends with Arbeloa, he responded: “I don’t consider him my friend, maybe someone I know. Not a friend.”

It’s important to reference the Spanish here. “Someone I know” translates as “conocido” and the way Pique said it was “cono…cido” which could be construed as a reference to Arbeloa’s derogatory nickname of cone - “cono” in Spanish. 

It’s provoked quite the reaction on social media.