Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has jumped to the defence of Gerard Pique.

Pique was barracked by local fans in Madrid as he trained with the La Roja squad yesterday. It was his first public appearance since offering to quit Spain over his Catalonia independence stand.

Laporta said: "The boy has experienced very strong accumulated tension. Of course it moved us, he deserves campaigns in favor, not against. He has always shown professionalism, he has some ideas but then he fulfills his work."

On the staging of the win against Las Palmas, he added: "Barcelona, for dignity and solidarity should not have played, once again the directive did not live up to what is required at a club like FC Barcelona."