Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique are long-time friends but according to reports the Barcelona duo are currently at odds amid a tricky period for Ernesto Valverde’s side.
The Spanish champions were stunned by lowly Leganes in La Liga last week, falling to a 2-1 defeat, having drawn the previous match with Girona.
Argentine superstar Messi is captain this season following Andres Iniesta’s exit in the summer.
But the 31-year-old has said little after the first of those two fixtures – something Pique is believed to have taken exception with.
According to reports in Spain, there has been a ‘complete breakdown’ in the long-standing relationship between the pair.
” El Chiringuito de Jugones ” claims Pique has hit out at Messi for not facing the press when the going gets tough, claiming Messi only faces the media when back home in Argentina.
It’s claimed Messi’s response was to hit back at Messi and the side’s defence, stating that they’re conceding too many goals and that the defence needs to do more.
Noticeably the Argentine then fronted up in the wake of the Athletic result.
When asked if the squad is too dependant on him, he stated: “We have the squad and the players to be a great team, to be a strong team and not depend on anyone. This is Barca. We have enough players, we don’t need to depend on one.”
Pique scored in the 2-2 draw with Girona, but the former Spanish international has been heavily criticised in his homeland for his performances thus far this term.
Already Barcelona have conceded eight times in seven La Liga matches – no side in the top seven has conceded more – conceding in each of their last five games and Pique has been culpable of a number of errors.
Messi meanwhile has scored eight times and added five assists in nine games in all competitions thus far.
But his comments at the weekend appear telling, particularly in a season where he and others at the club have placed added pressure on themselves to end Real Madrid’s Champions League dominance.
Los Blancos were well off the pace in La Liga last term, while Barcelona lost only one league game all season. But for some, all people think about when pointing to the two sides’ seasons is Madrid’s success in Kiev and Barca’s quarter-final collapse against Roma; their domestic double largely forgotten.
That goes some way to explaining Valverde’s decisions to rotate his squad during a run of three La Liga games in seven days.
And with both Atletico and Real being unable to truly take advantage of Barca’s slip, they remain top of the table.
A squad that lost a leader in Iniesta but was bolstered by summer signings such as Arturo Vidal, Clement Lenglet and Malcom is still looking to find its rhythm.