Denis Suarez has said he believes Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique has been unfairly treated by Spain fans and backed his intention to step down from the national team after the 2018 World Cup.
Pique announced after Sunday's 2-0 win over Albania that he planned to retire after the tournament because of criticism he has faced in Spain.
Suarez told Cadena Ser: "I support Pique because I think people have been unjust to him. He has always gone to the national team and given his best.
"He still has two years left and I hope he can play at the World Cup to end his international career in the best possible way."
His views were echoed by former Barcelona star Xavi Hernandez, with Sport reporting him as saying: "Carles Puyol and I suffered the same thing years ago. It's a lack of respect.
"He takes this seriously. He has the right to say that he's become tired of it. I think he's fed up.
"He's exasperated because he doesn't feel valued or loved, and they say that he's not committed to the national team."
Pique, 29, was under scrutiny during Sunday's World Cup qualifier, with suggestions circulating that he had cut the Spanish colours off his shirt sleeves as a way of expressing an anti-Spain, pro-Catalan sentiment.
However, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) released a statement on Monday with a photo highlighting that the long-sleeved shirt Pique had modified did not have the red and yellow stripes in its original design.
Pique has been regularly jeered by Spain fans due to what some see as his anti-Real Madrid and pro-Catalan independence views.
Spain coach Julen Lopetegui told Teledeporte: "Pique's commitment is beyond doubt."