Gerard Pique has taken aim at his long-standing rival Alvaro Arbeloa through a mocking WhatsApp message following Real Madrid's humiliating Copa del Rey elimination on Wednesday evening.
The Spanish giants suffered a stunning 3-2 loss to Albacete, a club languishing in the second division, marking a disastrous debut for Arbeloa in the dugout.
Shortly after the final whistle, the former Barcelona defender sent a sardonic message to a private group chat that read: "Good debut, 3-2."
The jibe from the World Cup winner threatens to revive a bitter personal feud that has simmered between the pair for over a decade.
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The message was directed at presidents of Pique's Kings League, the seven-a-side football competition he founded in 2022, and became public after being exposed during a livestream by Andorran content creator Spursito, as reported by Marca.
Arbeloa had only been handed control of the first team 48 hours earlier, following the club's decision to dismiss Xabi Alonso on Monday.
Alonso himself had been in the role for less than a year, having taken charge last summer after Carlo Ancelotti departed to manage Brazil.
Real Madrid were poor as they crashed out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night
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The new manager opted to rest four key players for the cup tie, a gamble that backfired spectacularly.
The animosity between Pique and Arbeloa stretches back to the explosive El Clasico encounters when Pep Guardiola led Barcelona against Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid.
Their hostility grew so intense that concerns emerged about potential disruption to Spanish national team harmony.
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La Liga's top goalscorers from the last five seasons | PAIn 2015, Pique delivered a memorable verbal barb, stating: "Arbeloa calls himself my friend, but he's just an acquaintance... cono...cido."
The deliberate pause split the Spanish word for acquaintance into two separate terms, each carrying insulting connotations, sparking widespread attention on social media.
Arbeloa later confirmed the depth of their rift in 2017, declaring: "I would not go to lunch with Pique."
Meanwhile, speaking after the game, the Real boss admitted the defeat was a 'painful' one.
“At this club, a draw is bad enough, a tragedy," he said.
"Imagine a defeat like this. It's painful and I'm sure that all the fans are hurt and even more so when you do it against a team from a lower tier.
Alvaro Arbeloa and Gerard Pique used to play for Spain together
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"We know how difficult any team can make it and we saw it on the day against Talavera. From here on we have to improve.
"If anyone is responsible for this defeat, it's me, as I'm the one who made the decisions regarding the lineup, how we wanted to play, the changes, etc.
"I can only thank the players for the welcome they've given me and the effort they've made today. I'm trying to get them back on their feet, both physically and mentally, obviously. We have to improve and go for Saturday's game.
“I said it yesterday. I'm not afraid of failure and if you want to call it that, I understand fully. But if there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that failure is on the road to success and not in opposite directions.
"This defeat will make me better and it will make us all better. A starting point where we have a lot of room for improvement.
"I have failed many times in my life and I have suffered even worse cup eliminations than this one. I'm looking forward to returning to Valdebebas tomorrow to work with my players and prepare for Saturday's game with the greatest of dedication so that things go much better for us than they did today."