Spanish Super Cup: 'We are inferior to Madrid' says Barcelona's Gerard Pique

Gerard Pique says Barcelona are not in the best moment as a team or a club following their 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday (16 August) in the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup.

Goals from Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema compounded a hapless Barcelona to a massive 5-1 aggregate loss over the two legs after Los Blancos defeated them 3-1 at the Nou Camp on Sunday (13 August).

Ever since Pique moved back to the Catalans in 2008, he has mostly been on the winning side for Barcelona with six La Liga titles and three Champions League crowns.

However, with Madrid winning three Champions League titles in the last four years as well as their first La Liga title since 2012 last season, Pique made a stunning admission following the game that Barcelona were now inferior to their Clasico rivals.

"The season is very long and there is room for improvement," Pique said after the match, as quoted on FourFourTwo. "But in nine years at Barcelona this is the first time that I have felt we are inferior to Madrid."

"It is true that they won the Champions League last year, but we came here and won not long before that."

Many will point that Neymar's departure after his world record €222m (£198m, $263.7m) move to Paris Saint-Germain was a huge factor for the defeat as Pique urged the club to remain close and move on from the two losses to Madrid.

"We are not in the best moment as a team or a club," Pique added. "We must remain as close as possible and try to keep paddling forward."

"It is important for us to live with the defeat and accept that Madrid were better."

Barcelona will now look to bounce back in the La Liga season opener as they host Real Betis at the Nou Camp on Sunday (20 August).