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Barcelona must make the most of Lionel Messi's Champions League obsession

Lionel Messi is a man on a mission. The Argentine attacker is determined to take Barcelona back to the very top of European football this season. After disappointment at the World Cup in the summer, he has his heart and mind set on winning the Champions League.

Despite domestic dominance in recent seasons for the Catalan club, the Champions League has remained elusive since the treble-winning campaign in 2014-15.

That seems a while back now and to make matters worse for Barca and their fans, they have seen Real Madrid claim the European Cup for three years in a row.

In that time, Barca have lost out at the quarter-final stage on each occasion, knocked out by Atletico Madrid, Juventus and then Roma, respectively.

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Now, however, Messi has had enough and after giving his full focus to Argentina and the World Cup in the earlier part of this year, the goal is now to reclaim European football’s foremost prize.

Already a four-time Champions League winner at Barca (although he missed the final through injury in 2006), Messi is the club captain now and ahead of the pre-season Gamper Trophy clash against Boca Juniors last month, he told the fans at Camp Nou that he wants to bring the trophy back once again.

“Even though last year was very good because we won the Copa [del Rey] and La Liga, it’s also true that we were all left with a thorn in our side in the Champions League and because of how we were eliminated,” he said.

“So we promise we will do everything possible in order for that cup, so special and so desired by everyone, returns to the Camp Nou.”

Last season, Barca were never truly at their best in the Champions League. Despite beating Juventus 3-0 in the group stages, there were also goalless draws away to the Italians and also Olympiacos, before an unconvincing 1-1 tie at Chelsea in the last 16 and then that calamitous capitulation in Rome, where Valverde’s side crashed to a 3-0 defeat and an away-goals exit after winning the first match 4-1.

Even that was a flattering scoreline, but Barca should be better equipped this time around. Philippe Coutinho was cup-tied last season, having featured for Liverpool earlier on in the competition, and will be important. In addition, Ousmane Dembele has adapted after a difficult debut campaign and summer signings Arthur, Arturo Vidal, Malcom and Clement Lenglet should all be useful.

Paulinho and Iniesta are no longer around, though, and the latter is impossible to replace. “For me it’s a source of great pride to be captain,” Messi said in the same speech in August. “I know what it entails, but I was lucky enough to have great examples like [Carles] Puyol, Xavi and lastly, the great Andres, who we are going to miss a lot.”

Iniesta looked heartbroken as Barca’s Champions League dream died at the Stadio Olimpico last season, the midfielder having hoped to sign off – as Xavi had – by winning a treble.

“Congratulations madridistas,” Puyol tweeted after Real’s win over Liverpool in Kiev. “Four Champions Leagues in five years, with one of the best Barca teams in history… we have to reflect on our priorities.”

The former club captain later elaborated in La Vanguardia. “I’m convinced that we have a better team than Madrid and they have won four out of the last five Champions Leagues. I believe the solution lies in not getting our priorities wrong. We are losing an opportunity and as a culé (Barca fan), I feel rage.”

Valverde’s approach was too conservative at times in Europe, the Barca boss only using Dembele at all against Roma when the Catalans were already 3-0 down in the Italian capital. He also fielded virtually a full-strength side – including Messi and Luis Suarez – at home to Leganes in La Liga just three days before the second leg. The Uruguayan has since admitted he regrets starting that match.

Then there is the Copa del Rey. Barca have won it for each of the past four seasons, but at what cost? While Madrid have prioritised the Champions League over the cup competition and even La Liga when they have been off the pace, the Catalans have used up valuable resources and energy in those matches. As Puyol says, they need to get their priorities straight this time around.

In 2013-14, Messi’s season was interrupted by injury and he tailored his fitness for the World Cup in Brazil. But after that, he returned to Barca with a renewed ambition to claim the Champions League and ended up winning the treble.

After another World Cup disappointment this summer, something similar is on his mind this time too and at the age of 31, opportunities to win Europe’s premier club competition again are running out for the finest footballer of his generation.

Barca, back in European action at home to PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, need to make the most of Messi’s Champions League obsession.