Gerard Pique says Alvaro Arbeloa deserved his Real Madrid send-off after playing his last game for the Spanish giants at Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Arbeloa was afforded a huge reception from the Madrid faithful and a warm send-off from his team-mates after their 3-2 win over Valencia.
The former Liverpool man will leave Madrid at the end of the season after making almost 250 appearances for the club across a seven-year spell.
Barcelona defender Pique, who has been involved in wars of words with Arbeloa in the past, put their rivalry to one side to wish his former Spain international team-mate luck for the future.
"I wish him the best wherever he goes next," Pique said of 33-year-old Arbeloa.
"If they have given him a send-off like that, it is because he has deserved it.
"Sometimes the tone has been a bit too much and we shouldn't have done it.
"But he's had a great career with some big trophies, including the World Cup, and for wherever he goes I wish him well."
Pique mocked Arbeloa earlier in the campaign after the Madrid defender took to Twitter to comment on Barcelona's surprise 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad in April.
The ex-Manchester United man told Arbeloa "a player who has started once in 32 games doesn't deserve a response".
Arbeloa has the chance to end his Madrid career in style, with the club still in the Liga title race heading into the last round of fixtures, while a Champions League final against rivals Atletico Madrid also awaits.
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- Goal