Messi wants 3rd Barcelona treble

Sports Desk: Lionel Messi has revealed his hope of winning a third treble with Barcelona this season and described the UEFA Champions League as the "dessert" at the end of the campaign.

Barca haven't won the Champions League since 2015, but Messi also wants the side to win La Liga and the Copa del Rey this year.

"The Champions League is the dessert for everyone, but to get it you have to be good in the league and cup.

"You have to be good in the league to be well in the Champions League. We will not leave aside any competition.

"The Champions League is special but we will fight for the league and cup."

The Argentinian was speaking after he scored twice for Barca in a 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Barcelona's victory came after three winless matches in La Liga. The Blaugrana have won the Spanish top flight in three of the past four years and were expected by some to win it again this season now that close rivals Real Madrid are without Cristiano Ronaldo, but both teams are level after seven games.

Messi helped Barcelona win trebles in 2009 and 2015, and in the years since the latter, they have exited at the quarter-final stage of Europe's elite club competition three seasons running.

Barca have had much more success in the Copa del Rey, having won that four years in a row.

Reclaiming the European Cup may be a big ambition for the team this year, but it seems they are not prepared to sacrifice success in other competitions to do it.

Source: Agencies
 

risingbd/Dhaka/October 05, 2018/A K Azad