"Do you realize who you sent off?" fumed Gerard Pique, who was shown a red card despite being on the bench after aiming a barrage of choice words at referee Jesus Gil Manzano. 

The Barcelona legend, who announced it's time to end his illustrious career before receiving a warm send-off in his last home appearance at Camp Nou stadium last weekend, was left out of his team's starting lineup against Osasuna in Pamplona on Tuesday night. It was supposed to be his final professional match before retirement. 

But there was no way the 35-year-old was going to sit quietly on the bench and stay in the shadows. 

After witnessing Manzano show Barca striker Robert Lewandowski a second yellow card for a flying elbow just after the half-hour mark and ignore Osasuna's foul on Marcos Alonso before the hosts opened the scoring via David Garcia, Pique decided to take matters into his own hands. 

The Catalan veteran sought out Manzano on the pitch at the half time whistle and had a heated conversation with the referee which continued into the tunnel.  

According to several Spanish media outlets, Pique told Manzano that he is "a [expletive] disgrace," and called him the match official who "has most screwed Barcelona by some distance."

One of the most recognizable referees in La Liga, Manzano does have a habit of sending off Barca players as he has dismissed former Blaugrana stars Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez over the course of his long career.  

Fortunately, 10-man Barcelona shrugged off their numerical disadvantage and bounced back from the perceived injustice as Pedri and Rahinha's goals help them stage an unlikely turnaround in the second half and established a five-point lead at the top of La Liga. 

Barcelona coach Xavi suggested after the match that he feels sorry for Pique who ended his career on a sour note.

"I was going to bring him on," said Xavi. "We knew that Andreas was coming back from injury, that he lacked a bit of rhythm. Eric Garcia was feeling pain... So, Gerard [Pique] was left and we thought we'd play him. 

"But they sent him off at half-time. It was the result of the tension of the moment. We felt injustice, hence Gerard's reaction." 

Pique joined Barcelona's youth academy in 1997 before leaving for Manchester United in 2004. He rejoined the Catalan powerhouse in 2008 and enjoyed a trophy-laden career in Spain, winning eight La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns and seven Copa del Rey triumphs.

Pique was also an integral member of Spain's golden generation as he helped the national team clinch the World Cup in 2010 and the 2012 European Championship in a dominant run before retiring from international football in 2018.