Barcelona news: Messi, Setien bury hatchet with Champions League pact after hour-long meet

The recently-concluded LaLiga season was marred by extreme uncertainties and conflict between Lionel Messi and the Barcelona hierarchy. The conflict with manager Quique Setien reached to a point where the Argentine icon began doubting his side's ability to edge past Napoli in the Champions League round of 16. However, Messi and Seien have now resolved the conflict with a Champions League pact, suggests a report. 

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Messi, Setien agree to Champions League pact 

According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Setien initiated talks with Messi on Saturday to bury the hatchet between the two. The outcome of the hour-long meeting suggests the duo has decided to put aside their differences for the time being with the objective of winning the Champions League this season. The Catalan giants had last won the silverware back in 2015 and the club clamours for European glory.

Messi and co were tied against Napoli in the Champions League round of 16. The Spanish heavyweights could not emerge victorious away from home, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw in Italy. Still, Barcelona have the away-goal advantage as they host the Italian giants on August 8 at Camp Nou. 

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Messi criticises Barcelona 

Things haven't been close to normal at Barcelona throughout the season. Messi's anguish with Setien's tactics was visible after Barcelona lost against 10-man Osasuna, with Real Madrid clinching the LaLiga title around the same time. After the Osasuna defeat, Messi spoke to Movistar and claimed that he did not expect the game to finish that way, but their performance summed up the season for his side. 

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Messi fears defeat against Napoli

Messi acceded that his side dropped points at stages where they shouldn't have. The team needs to introspect and self-criticise the performance, asserted the six-time Ballon d'Or winner. Messi insisted that if the team did not improve on the field, then they will be knocked out of the Champions League by Napoli in a similar fashion as their defeats against AS Roma and Liverpool in the past couple of seasons.

Amid the conflicts, the Messi and Setien meeting comes as a major relief for the Catalan giants as well as the fans. Despite losing out on the LaLiga title to Real Madrid, Barcelona still have the opportunity to mend their sub-par campaign. This could be achieved if the Champions League pact as agreed in the Messi and Setien meeting materialises. 

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Image courtesy: AP