Cristiano Ronaldo may be one of the elder statesmen in Zinedine Zidane's all-conquering Real Madrid side but he remains among the most important.

He brought up his 600th career goal with a brace against Juventus in Saturday's Champions League final in another brilliant performance from the Portuguese forward.

In the process of becoming the first team to retain the top prize in European football, Zidane has actually been able to find the perfect combination of youth and experience in his Los Blancos squad.

The average age is currently just over 26-years-old - suggesting their dominance in Europe can continue for some time yet.

Well, that's what Ronaldo thought after the final in Cardiff and claimed it could signal the start of a 'new era' at the Bernabeu.

That is just the sort of remark that Madrid fans will love but has the potential to rile up those associated to their biggest rivals, Barcelona.

And who from Barcelona is never afraid to say what he thinks about Los Blancos?

Gerard Pique of course.

The centre-back has already responded to Ronaldo's comments in the only way he knows how to - by firing a very cheeky dig straight back.

Pique, who is currently training with the Spain national team, claimed Madrid will have only asserted their dominance when Barcelona have to parade a Copa del Rey triumph - just like Ronaldo and co. have done in the past.

“What we did made Madrid go on a victory parade just for winning the Copa del Rey; the day you see us on a victory parade for winning the Cup will be the day when you can say that Madrid are in a dominant period,” Pique told Movistar Plus' Minuto 0 programme, as per AS.

“I don't think you can compare everything which we won during those years to what Real Madrid have won in the past two seasons."

He just can't help but stick the knife in can he?

You can guarantee Sergio Ramos is already preparing a response of his own somewhere...