Pique: Barca are in a slump

"We are in a little slump. You're not always at your best. Things go better or are worse," he said, via AS. The team was hungry to score but the ball would not go in. This is football. We believe that we are very good, but not always at our best."

Barcelona's Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi dejected with the result.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique admits his team are in a slump after their Champions League exit on Wednesday.

An Antoine Griezmann brace saw Atletico Madrid claim a 2-0 win at the Vicente Calderon, as they reached the semi-finals courtesy of their 3-2 aggregate victory.

Pique admitted his side were encountering some difficulties with their form after winning just one of their past five matches.

"We are in a little slump. You're not always at your best. Things go better or are worse," he said, via AS.

"The team was hungry to score but the ball would not go in. This is football. We believe that we are very good, but not always at our best."

Pique hopes his team can respond by winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey, but said the European exit was a huge blow.

Barca is three points clear atop the league table ahead of hosting Valencia on Sunday.

"I will not deny that it has been a very hard blow that we did not expect," Pique said.

"We have to get up. We play the league and cup and they are two very nice competitions we expect to win."