Gerard Pique attacks Real Madrid because he needs the extra "hustle and bustle" in his life, according to Spain team-mate Sergio Ramos.
The Barcelona centre-back has regularly courted controversy with his comments about the capital club and his insinuations that they often receive favourable treatment at the hands of footballing authorities in Spain.
Most recently, he hit out at Madrid's "values" after the club allowed public prosecutor Marta Silva to sit in the director's box at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Silva, a former board member under president Florentino Perez, reportedly pushed for a severe punishment to be handed out to Lionel Messi during his legal case with the Spanish tax authorities.
Pique's remarks are rumoured to have incensed Madrid to such an extent that legal action has been considered, but Ramos believes his long-time centre-back partner often stirs up trouble simply for his own amusement.
"When Pique attacks Real Madrid, our club, our crest, our colours it does have an impact," he told beIN Sports.
"These are things that can be avoided and that should not be done but sometimes, when everything is calm and quiet, Pique needs to cause a stir and have that extra hustle and bustle in his life."
Ramos does not believe that Pique truly has any gripe with the Madrid players, however.
"I'm a very temperamental guy but when you wear the armband of Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, you have to think differently," he said.
"I don't think that Pique really has any bad opinion about any of my Madrid team-mates though.
"For me, as a captain, I have to maintain equilibrium and a good atmosphere within our national team because if I don't, maybe we won't end up qualifying for Russia and we'll end up staying at home."
