Barcelona defender Marc Bartra has said that the club can bounce back from their recent defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Super Cup and defend their La Liga title.

The Catalan giants will begin their new league campaign against Bilbao on Sunday, just nine days after being hammered 4-0 by the Lions in the Spanish Super Cup.

They were also exposed at the back during their 5-4 win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup, but Bartra is confident that the club's defensive problems will improve as the season goes on.

"We made many mistakes [in the Super Cups], some individual, but [the defensive frailties] are things that only happen in very short bursts," he told reporters.

"The past week has left us with a small margin to improve. The team know they must improve on certain things. There are players who are still working on restoring their fitness levels and hopefully mental levels too.

"It's not normal to play three times in quick succession with the same team, but every game is different. The past is the past. Now, we must defend La Liga, be prepared for what lies ahead and go for it."

Bartra has spent his entire career at Barcelona and has helped the club to win four La Liga titles.