Never doubted squad but Barcelona will not win Champions League playing like we were: Lionel Messi
Barcelona star Lionel Messi feels that his team will not be able to win the Champions League if they play like they were playing before coronavirus break. Barcelona will face Napoli in the home tie of Champions League when the tournament resumes. In the first tie at Napoli, the match ended in 1-1 draw.
The Catalan giants were scheduled to play Napoli in March, but due to coronavirus outbreak the Champions League matches were postponed indefinitely across Europe.
The Barcelona players have returned to training last week to get back to their fitness level after the lockdown period.
Messi talked about Champions League restart and also gave his opinion about Barcelona's chance of winning the trophy.
"I never doubted the squad we have and I have no doubt that we can win all that remains, but not by playing in the way we were playing," Messi, who has won four Champions League titles," Messi told Sport.
Earlier, Barcelona manager Quique Setien expressed his desire to win the Champions League title with the team. In April, Setien told TV3: "I have told the players many times that I don't have time to lose, and I'd like to win both the Champions League and La Liga."
Messi opined on the same and said he is lucky to play the Champions League every year and it's not possible for Barcelona to win it by playing the same way they were before lockdown.
"Now, everyone has their opinion and they are all very respectable. Mine is based on the fact that I was lucky to play the Champions League every year and I know that it is not possible to win it by playing as we have been playing. Perhaps Setien misunderstood."
Messi claimed that the break may end up benefiting Barcelona but wants players to take all the necessary precautions when the game resumes.
"This break may end up benefiting us, but we are going to see if they can start the competitions and there we will leave doubts, because we will check the level that we have or can reach when we start,"
"Going back to training is a first step but we should not trust ourselves and we must continue taking all the necessary precautions and assume that we have to start playing the games when they arrive but behind closed doors." Messi said.
Messi said it's going to be weird without fans in the stadium, but he is looking forward to the competitions.
"Personally I am looking forward to the competitions. We know that everything is going to be weird, without fans in the stadium and with the theme of the concentrations that we really would not like to have to be separated from our families. You have to see how it looks," he said
"Physically I feel very well. I was training at home these days and I think it helped me to keep fit.
"Very hard confinement, but with the children and with Antonela everything ends up becoming moments that I try to enjoy all together," he concluded.
