Real Madrid were crowned La Liga champions for the 34th time on Thursday night after beating Villarreal at home. Barcelona were beaten by Osasuna at the same time, handing the title over to their bitter rivals.
It is the first time Los Blancos have won the league in three years. Understandably, those in Cataluña were far from happy with the events.
Lionel Messi’s future is up in the air right now, and he was uncharacteristically vocal after the game. But it was when he equalised with a typically excellent free kick, that he first showed his frustration.
Messi has 23 goals and 20 assists for Barcelona in La Liga this season and he's still being ridiculed??? Look at his reaction after banging a freekick.. He can't do it all for Barça by himself..
— Genius (@AnthonyJubemi) July 16, 2020
Someone please free this man of his burden. pic.twitter.com/cZ4927ifwH
“We have lost because of our mistakes and not because of Madrid’s successes, as many say.
“The feeling on this team is that it tries, but that it cannot get the job done. Today in the first half they were better than we were and it seems we have to fall behind to react like we tried to do in the second half.”
“We are going to have to change a lot if we want to do something…”
Barcelona will turn their attention to the Champions League in August, but Messi says they must improve immensely if they aren’t to be knocked out by Napoli.
“I said it some time ago, that playing like this we had no chance of winning the Champions League, and it turns out we didn’t even have enough to win La Liga,” the Argentine continued.
Over at the Camp Nou… Barcelona let go of the title with a 2-1 defeat to Osasuna 😟
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) July 16, 2020
A disappointed Leo Messi believes Real Madrid "did what they had to do" to lift the La Liga title. A big summer ahead for Barcelona! #BarcaOsasuna
Match Report – https://t.co/wmTnZKEYe5 pic.twitter.com/KezQ09X83G
“We need to take a breather, let some air in, and clean out minds of all that has happened since December.”
“Playing like this we will lose against Napoli.
“We have to start from zero in the Champions League and blame ourselves for what went wrong.”