Liverpool's defeat ruined Barca's season, says Messi

BARCELONA (Reuters) – Lionel Messi said Barcelona's 4-0 defeat by Liverpool, who had led them out of the Champions League, had spoiled their season, hoping to seal their double on Saturday against Valencia in the Copa final. del Rey.

At his first press conference for more than four years and his first appearance in the press since the cumulative reversal of the semifinal 4-3 of this month, Messi, usually very discreet, did not hesitate to criticize the Barca parade at Anfield.

"The first half was not that bad, but in the second run we did not even compete. There was only one team on the pitch and that was the biggest mistake we could make, "Messi said.

"The worst thing we can do, and for which we can not forgive ourselves, is the fact that we are not competitive. We let them go. "

The Barca's all-time leading scorer became club captain for the first time this season, but despite the fact that the Catalans retain the La Liga title three games behind, Messi can not forget the bad memories of the defeat against Liverpool.

"I had a spectacular season as captain, we won the league, we reached the final of the cup. I think it was a good year if you played the game against Liverpool, which unfortunately ruined the good weather we had. He then said.

Messi's first act was to announce to his supporters that he was determined to win the Champions League for the first time since 2015, saying he would do "everything in his power to bring back this magnificent much desired trophy at camp Nou ".

This infamous phrase has been repeated frequently since Barca failed to reach the final of the Champions League in Madrid because of the loss to Liverpool, who won after a 3-0 win over Juergen Klopp's club in the first leg at Nou Camp.

"I do not regret it, I did not promise to bring him back, I promised to do everything to try to bring him back although we did not do it and we should apologize for it our fans because we did not do it. t even in competition, "he said.

"Huge disappointments"

Messi compared his loss to 1-0 in overtime defeat to Germany that he had suffered as an Argentine captain in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil.

"Those are two different things. A World Cup final is the most important thing. It's a huge disappointment, but keeping a 3-0 lead and losing the draw (in Liverpool) is a huge disappointment, "he said.

He called on his team to forget Liverpool's overwhelming defeat in the Barca final of the Spanish Cup in Valencia, weakened by the injuries inflicted on Uruguayan compatriots Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

"It's a final, so we have to play for what it is and not think of anything else. Valencia is a very difficult team, we know each other well, it will be very equal. If we do not go out with the right attitude, we could suffer, "he said.

"Nobody should beat us for attitude. We will try to compete as we did every game of the season, except against Liverpool," added Messi.