Gerard Pique confident Barcelona can bounce back from Champions League exit by beating Real Madrid

Gerard Pique has said he is confident Barcelona can go to the Santiago Bernabeu and beat Real Madrid this weekend, despite the Catalan giants not being in the best of form.

Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League by Juventus at the quarter-final stage, with the Italian champions producing an excellent defensive display at Camp Nou on 19 April to triumph 3-0 on aggregate.

Luis Enrique's side have only won one of their last four matches in all competitions and are three points behind Real in the La Liga table having played a game more than their arch-rivals.

Pique urged his teammates to put the Champions League disappointment behind them and concentrate on the El Clasico showdown with Real on 23 April.

"We are human, of course something is going to affect us," the centre-back was quoted as saying by ESPN.

"On Sunday there's another big match, and we'll go there to compete and try and win.

"Even if we are not in our best moment, I believe we can go there and win."

Enrique said the trip to the Bernabeu offered the perfect opportunity for Barcelona to put behind their midweek disappointment in Europe.

"Picking youself up after a defeat like this is hard, but we have the best motivation a Cule can have which is visit the home of our eternal rival. There's no better place than to go to than the Bernabeu," the Spaniard was reported as saying.

"It will be as special as ever and it's a marvellous stimulus – a key game against the leader, a direct opponent. We have to get ready and compete and I am sure we will do that."

Midfielder Andres Iniesta blamed Barcelona's failure to break down Juventus on a lack of cutting edge in front of goal.

"We were not as effective in front of goal as usual and that cost us," he told the club's official website.

"It's a disappointment to be knocked out of the Champions League but winning the league relies on winning in the Bernabeu and that is our intention."