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Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has revealed that he enjoys playing against Espanyol more than Real Madrid.
He also expressed his thrill at being whistled by fans of Los Periquitos. He stated that nothing is comparable to being booed at Espanyol's RCDE Stadium, not even having sex with his partner.
The former Spain international was speaking to Spanish YouTuber and podcaster Jordi Wild when he made the revelation.
"I'm happy that Espanyol has been promoted to the first division because that's how we play in their stadium. I like to go there, I get whistled at all the time. You laugh and the fans get even madder. There is nothing comparable in the world. I would say it's better than sex. I enjoy it a lot more than playing against Real Madrid."
Barcelona and Espanyol share a long-standing city rivalry owing to their proximity within Catalunya.
They are the two most successful Catalan clubs, although the Blaugrana are by far more popular around the world, owing to their success-laden history.
Espanyol's relegation in 2020 temporarily put the rivalry on hold. However, their instant promotion back to La Liga after one season saw the Catalan derby revived.
The Blaugrana's rivalry with Real Madrid is arguably the most popular game in club football. But as Pique revealed, some members of the Catalan community regard their local rivalry with Espanyol to be of greater significance than El Clasico.
Barcelona ending the season on a high after resurgence under Xavi
Barcelona are ending the season strongly and have climbed to second spot with a game in hand on their nearest rivals. They beat Sevilla 1-0 on Sunday, 3 March, with Pedri scoring the only goal.
They are also within touching distance of Real Madrid and could launch an unlikely title challenge if the table-toppers falter.
This was hardly conceivable a few months ago and manager Xavi deserves immense praise for his transformational work at Camp Nou. He joined the club in November, when they were ninth in the league. His playing style, use of youngsters and wise signings in January have transformed the club.
Having taken one step closer to securing UEFA Champions League football next season, the Blaugrana will turn their attention to the continent.
They will travel to Germany to take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarterfinal tie on Thursday. The return leg will be staged at Camp Nou one week later with a league trip to Levante sandwiched in between.
