In an interview with ESPN, Lionel Messi detailed his ambitions for the remainder of the club season. Messi and Barcelona will be looking to capture two titles in the space of a week — a victory over Granada on May 14 will see them capture the La Liga crown, while Sevilla await in the final of the Copa del Rey on May 22.
Messi stresses that two out of three trophies is nothing to be ashamed of, and that it would equal a ‘spectacular’ season for Barca. However, the Blaugrana star is still visibly upset over Barcelona’s elimination to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Can Barcelona and Lionel Messi end the season as La Liga and Copa del Rey champions? Photo: @ESPNFC | Twitter
Messi believes that “in the first game, we were much better. We could’ve decided the tie.” Becoming the first team to successfully defend a Champion League title would’ve been another massive accolade in the Argentine’s honors, but Barca saw their 2-1 advantage overturned in Madrid.
Now, Barca face the terrible prospect of watching Real Madrid capture their eleventh Champions League title. “People in Barcelona always want Real Madrid to win nothing, and it’s the same for them as well,” says Messi.
Messi is aware of the difficulty in winning the Champions League, as well as the La Liga title. “In the Spanish league, you have to fight against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla and other difficult teams,” says Messi. While they were unable to defeat a difficult Atletico team in the Champions League, they've already ensured that they'll finish above them in the La Liga table.
Real are the only remaining threat to Barca's domestic dominance — Los Blancos will play against Deportivo in their only remaining league fixture, needing a slip up from Barca to have any chance of winning the league.
Winning the double, which would be Messi’s eighth La Liga title and fourth Copa del Rey crown, would still represent a fantastic achievement for Barca. For Messi, it would create the perfect platform for a successful summer with Argentina.
