Lionel Messi issues Barcelona Champions League warning after losing LaLiga title to Real Madrid

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Ben Hayward17 July 2020

A furious Lionel Messi has warned Barcelona that their fans are running out of patience after watching Real Madrid depose them as LaLiga champions.

Messi scored for Barca in a 2-1 defeat at home to Osasuna as Real Madrid beat Villarreal by the same scoreline in the capital to seal the title ahead of Quique Setien's side.

"If we're not good enough for LaLiga, how will be good enough for the Champions League?" Messi told Movistar+ after the game at Camp Nou.

"We didn't want to finish like that but it is a mark of how the season has been: an inconsistent and very weak team. Other teams beat us in intensity and determination."

Pictures | Champions Real Madrid celebrate LaLiga title | 16/07/2020

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Barcelona are still in the Champions League, but must overcome Napoli in the teams' last 16 second leg at Camp Nou before a possible quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich.

"Roma, Liverpool... the fans are losing patience because we're not giving them anything," Messi said. "If we want to fight for the Champions League, we have to change many things. We need to be self-critical.

"I already said that if we carried on as we were, it wouldn't be good enough in Europe. If we want to fight for the Champions League, we are going to need to change a lot."

And on LaLiga, which Barca led by two points ahead of the restart before losing ground to Real, he said: "Madrid did what they had to do. Not losing since the break has a lot of merit.

"We need to be self-critical, starting with the players. We are Barca and we're obliged to win all our games."

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