Lionel Messi pays tribute to Barcelona after admitting problems on and off the pitch last season
Friday 5 June 2015 14:08, UK
Lionel Messi admits situations on and off the pitch last season affected him, but says he is enjoying his football again after a fantastic term with Barcelona.
Messi has played a key role in the club’s success this season, scoring 58 goals in a campaign that has brought them La Liga and Copa Del Rey success.
The club can win just their second treble in their 115-year history if they beat Juventus in the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6 and Messi heads into the game as the competition’s all-time leading scorer after notching his 77th Champions League goal in the 3-0 victory over Bayern Munich in the first-leg of the semi-final.
Messi admits he had problems in the season 2013/14 season - but paid tribute to a Barcelona he believes - as per their famous motto - is more than a club.
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Speaking ahead of Saturday's showdown, he said: "Perhaps over last year [2013/14] the season hasn’t been good for me, because of several situations on and off the pitch.
"Whether you like it or not, this always has an influence on your performance on the pitch.
"I suffered an injury and it took me a while to get back and do what I wanted to do. So a few things weren’t so good.
"I have always tried to enjoy it and do things well. And now this season I have tried to be the same as last year.
"I have been very grateful for what the club has done for me and the warmth and support I received from it.
"I have developed and grown here at this club. I like this club a lot because, as I said before, it’s more than just how they helped and supported me in all the years I have been here."
The clash with Juventus will be Messi’s third Champions League final and the little Argentine has lit up both previous finals, scoring in both victories over Manchester United.
Messi recalls scoring the second goal in the 2009 final in Rome very fondly.
Barcelona were 1-0 to the good at the time after Samuel Eto’o had given them a first-half lead but United were growing into the game when Messi popped up at the back post to head home a decisive second goal that wrapped up the 2-0 victory.
Messi said: “Well, as I have always said, it was a very important moment of my career, both because of the match itself and the goal I scored.
“That was the moment where we thought we had won the match and would lift the trophy. Then the moment I scored our second goal was very important because the match was pretty even. So all that enjoyment and happiness was very memorable for me.”
Barcelona are huge favourites going into Saturday’s showpiece at Berlin but Messi says he and his team-mates can't afford to be complacent against a Juventus side that knocked out Real Madrid over two legs in the semi-finals.
“I guess the feelings and preparations will be the same as with the cup finals we’ve played before.
“It’s a Champions League final where we have suffered a lot to make it to the final because we know it is not easy to become champions again. Our dream is to win it all.
“We know that we will face a very tricky opponent, they are very strong. Juventus are a big team. It is a final and anything can happen, but we will prepare and approach it as we have approached finals before.”
Watch the Champions League final between Barcelona and Juventus live on Sky Sports 1HD and Sky Sports 5HD, with build-up from 6pm on Saturday.
