Sergio Ramos insists he does get on with club rival and Spanish teammate Gerard Pique

Ramos has defended his off-field relationship with Pique amid controversial calls for Catalan independence

The pair have had their differences over the years. (Getty Images / David Ramos / Staff)

Sergio Ramos insists he gets on with Barcelona captain Gerard Pique despite a long-running rivalry widely reported between the Spanish centre-backs.

As captains of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, the pair have fulfilled roles as natural rivals off the pitch as well as on it with public disagreements and underhand slights.

Though a World Cup year demands harmony between the Spaniards, Catalonia's controversial bid for independence continues to spark tensions and the defenders fall on different sides of that divide.

Ramos claims the Catalan independence crisis is not damaging his relationship with Pique. (Getty Images / David Ramos / Staff)

But Ramos insists Pique supporting the controversial independence referendum has not strained their relationship further. Instead he describes an unlikely unification.

Though Ramos believes that speaking about politics does not help spirits in the Spanish national team, he said Pique's behaviour is not a problem

"It hurts the national team," the Real Madrid captain told Onda Cero when asked about players' political views. "I like to enjoy the scenery, the environment... the only thing I always say as captain of that national team is that we must be aware of our every move.

"Pique's behaviour has always been exemplary despite what others might think."

Ramos claims the publicly frosty relationship between the two international teammates has now thawed.

He said: "If you compared it with the old relationship we had, I tell you that today we get along quite well. Before there was almost no relationship.

"We respected each other because we played together and we knew that together we were one of the best centre-back pairings in the world.

"When you are growing and maturing you leave aside things that you previously gave importance to and do not have now. That has made the relationship better."

Pique ruled out quitting the Spanish national team earlier this month after being booed by his own fans in training ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Albania.