Football

Messi critical of Barcelona’s La Liga performance

Lionel Messi has given a critical appraisal of his team’s La Liga performance after Barcelona lost the title to Real Madrid on Thursday night, going down 1-2 at home to 10-man Osasuna in one of the biggest upsets at the Camp Nou.

“We didn’t expect to finish in this way, but it sums up the year for us. We are a weak team who can be beaten with enough intensity and enthusiasm,” Messi told Spanish TV.

“We have lost a lot of points which we shouldn’t have done. We have been very inconsistent.”

Barcelona have struggled with their form since the La Liga restart with a set of indifferent results, while Real Madrid soared.

On Thursday (July 16) it was Osasuna who scored first, through striker Jose Arnaiz in the 16th minute, from a cross by Pervis Estupinan.

It Messi was who equalized for Barcelona, scoring with a sublime free-kick on 62 minutes following a foul on Luis Suarez but Osasuna would have the last laugh with minutes to go through Roberto Torres and a defeat which left Messi unimpressed.

“We need to be self-critical, starting with the players, but also across the entire club. We are Barcelona, and we are obliged to win every game,” Messi concluded.

Tom Kirkwood

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