Cesc Fabregas acknowledged that the still very good Barcelona side of 2014 is battling the success it has enjoyed over the past few seasons.
Barcelona most recently won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011.
"To be the Barcelona of two, three four years ago is very difficult," Fabregas told Sky Sports. "This was probably the best team in the history of football and it's very difficult to maintain this level every season. We don't ask for it.
"We just try to do our best and be as close as possible to the top of the game. That's what we'll try to do until the end of the season.
"Everything is good at Barcelona right now. We are in the final of the cup [Copa Del Rey] against Real Madrid, we are four points behind in the league and while it is true that last weekend we had a terrible result [lost to Valladolid], anything can happen when you are only four points behind.
"We still have to go to Madrid next week and we need a good result there. We are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. I think many teams would like to be in our position."