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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Kathryn Batte

Lionel Messi speaks out on Liverpool defeat and how Barcelona were 'blocked'

Lionel Messi has had his say on the reason Barcelona collapsed at Anfield in the Champions League last season.

The Spanish giants travelled to England with a 3-0 aggregate lead after the first leg at the Nou Camp.

However, Liverpool produced a shock 4-0 win in the return fixture and went on to beat Spurs in the final.

Messi spoke to journalists Jordi Baste and Roger Saperas of El Mundo at radio station RAC1 ahead of the premiere of the show Messi10 by Cirque du Soleil .

The forward spoke openly about the defeat in Liverpool and his ambitions to reclaim the Champions League trophy after many "missed opportunities".

He denied the accusation that Barca manager Ernesto Valverde was to blame after they crashed out of the competition against Roma and the Reds in consecutive seasons.

"The defeat against Liverpool was our fault," said Messi. "What happened to us in that match, can not. We blocked ourselves.

"The Rome thing happened to us. It didn't happen because of a thing with the coach.

Lionel Messi of Barcelona looks dejected at Anfield (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

"But neither was it my decision for him to stay, like it was said somewhere."

The Barca star added: "I would be disappointed to spend another year without winning the Champions League."

Messi also revealed he has not spoken to Barcelona's President Josep Maria Bartomeu since last season.

He said: "I do not speak with the President since after the elimination in Liverpool. That was the last time.

"I have no problem with the President, everything is fine. We talked but we did not meet because it was not the occasion.

"When we see each other and believe each other and have to talk, we do it and there is no problem."

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