Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has hinted the players are upset with president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Marcal Llorente, a journalist for Mundo Deportivo, chimed in on the reports that a PR firm was hired to improve Bartomeu's image whilst simultaneously criticising the likes of Pep Guardiola, Xavi Hernandez, Pique and Lionel Messi.

"I've known Barcelona's environment and the idiosyncrasies of the members/supporters for many years, and fortunately they are less and less manipulatable and more intelligent," Llorente's tweet read.

"They know perfectly who Barcelona want to use for their media, political and economic interests."

That provoked a response from Pique late on Tuesday night.

"Puppet," Pique wrote to Llorente in Catalan.