A frustrated Lionel Messi called for change after Barcelona handed the La Liga title to Real Madrid on Thursday, warning the team will lo...
A frustrated Lionel Messi called for change after Barcelona handed the La Liga title to Real Madrid on Thursday, warning the team will lose in the Champions League as well if they fail to improve.
Barca’s title challenge ended with a whimper at Camp Nou, where they were beaten 2-1 by Osasuna while Madrid’s 2-1 victory at home to Villarreal ensured they were crowned Spanish champions.
Defeat increases the pressure on coach Quique Setien, who took over in January with Barcelona sitting top of the table.
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said Setien will remain in charge for the Champions League next month, when Barca play their second leg at home to Napoli, with the last-16 tie in the balance at 1-1.
“The feeling of the team is that it tries but can’t do it, that we leave a lot to be desired in many areas and today in the first half I think they were better than us,” Messi said after the loss to Osasuna.
“I said long ago that if we continued in this way, it would be very difficult to win the Champions League and that has been shown to be the case in La Liga too. If we want to fight for the Champions League we will have to...
