Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre has denied claims Gerard Pique was gesturing towards him at the end of the draw with Villarreal.

Pique was said to have angrily gesticulated towards LaLiga president Javier Tebas after a series of controversial refereeing decisions. Though it has since been claimed it was Mestre who was the subject of his ire.

But the Barca director insisted last night: "Piqué did not address me at Villarreal, that's for sure. I was with Piqué after the game, on the team's return, and he did not say anything to me.

"As we have known eachother for some time, if he had to tell me something he would have told me. In addition, at the moment that he goes to the box I am not even there because I am going on television to comment on the game."

He added: "Another detail, Gerard and I usually speak in Catalan and his message is in Spanish, so it was not for me. I do not know who it was for, I asked him who he 'wants to know', but he was not sure..."