"I remember celebrating their defeats the same way as our victories" - Gerard Pique speaks on rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona

Barcelona icon Gerard Piqué has spoken about the club's rivalry against Real Madrid. He said that he even used to celebrate Los Blancos' defeat as much as Barca's victories.

Barcelona and Real Madrid form one of the most iconic and fierce rivalries, not just in football but in sport in general. Their matches are called El Clásico and have featured some of the greatest players in football history. The two Spanish giants often compete for all the biggest trophies in Spain and Europe.

Former Barca defender Gerard Piqué shed some light on this rivalry in a recent interview with Movistar. He said (h/t Reshad Rahman):

“I remember celebrating Madrid's defeats the same way as our victories. There has to be rivalry, otherwise it's not fun. The most entertaining matches were Barça-Madrid.”

Piqué came through Barcelona's academy but joined Manchester United in 2004. He returned to Barca four years later and recorded 616 appearances for them, contributing 53 goals and 13 assists.

The former Spain centre-back played 42 games against Real Madrid across competitions. He managed 19 wins, 13 defeats, and 10 draws in these games.

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Real Madrid star opens up on upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona

Real Madrid winger Rodrygo Goes has opened up on the upcoming clash against Barcelona at the Bernabeu on October 26 in LaLiga. He acknowledged that Los Blancos were poor in El Clásicos last season but asserted confidence in their ability to bounce back this campaign.

He said:

"It's best to forget about last season. We know we weren't up to scratch, especially in the Clásicos. We weren't comfortable against them. It's true that last year it was the other way around, and we won all four Clásicos, although we have to admit they're better now and have a better team, with much more confidence. But we also have a great team.

"It's going to be a tough game, but we're playing at the Bernabéu in front of our fans, and we have to show what we're capable of, planning everything well to beat them no matter what. We're at home."

Barcelona won all four El Clásicos across competitions last season, including the Supercopa de España and the Copa del Rey finals. They also went on to win the LaLiga title, finishing four points above Real Madrid.

This season, however, Los Blancos are at the top of the table after eight games, sitting two points above La Blaugrana.