Gerard Pique takes thinly-veiled swipe at rivals Real Madrid

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.