Barcelona defender Gerard Pique hits back over criticism of his form

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has revealed that he and his Barcelona teammates are pleased with their start to the season.

Pique and Barcelona came in for fierce criticism last season as they failed to win a trophy, but after beating Real Madrid 3-2 in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday night, he has revealed that there is a positive feeling around the Nou Camp.

Pique told Sport: "I had to take a lot of rubbish last season.

"Therefore, I am pleased with the way I have started the new season. I think I have been playing well so far.

"We have a very positive feeling about the Real Madrid game and we are proud of how we played and what we have done."

The second leg of the Super Cup takes place on Wednesday night.