Gerard Pique takes thinly-veiled swipe at rivals Real Madrid

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 06 June 2017

Pique takes thinly-veiled swipe at Madrid

Gerard Pique says that, unlike rivals Real Madrid in the past, Barcelona will not parade their solitary Copa del Rey title as they know more trophies will soon follow.

Barcelona skipper Gerard Pique has rejected suggestions that rivals Real Madrid are about to enjoy a dominant spell in Spanish football.

Los Blancos won their first La Liga and European Cup double since 1958 this term, edging out Barca in the top flight in a title race that went down to the wire.

Pique's men were left celebrating just their solitary Copa del Rey triumph, secured courtesy of a 3-1 win over Alaves in the final, but the Spain international insists that it is far too soon to predict a "dominant cycle" for Madrid.

In a thinly-veiled swipe at the capital club, who paraded the Spanish Cup in 2011 during a period of Barcelona success, Pique told Movistar: "You still can't compare what we have won during all these years with what Madrid have won in the last two seasons.

"What we did made Real Madrid go on a victory parade just for winning the Copa del Rey. The day you see us going on a victory parade for winning the Copa will be the day when you can say that Madrid have entered a dominant cycle."

Barca are now under new management following the arrival of Ernesto Valverde last week, taking over from Luis Enrique after his three-year spell in charge came to an end.