Messi proud of Barca efforts

Barcelona star Lionel Messi believes his side can still consider last season a success despite failing to win the Champions League or La Liga.

Barca won four trophies but missed out on the two biggest ones last term, letting their domestic title slip to arch-rivals Real Madrid and being eliminated by eventual champions Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals.

However, the 25-year-old Messi is certain that his side can still class their previous campaign as a success as they gear up for another continental campaign.

“We were lucky enough to win the Supercopa, Club World Cup, the Copa del Rey,” the Argentina international told Uefa.com. “These are all important competitions.

“Obviously we didn’t win the Champions League and La Liga, like people expected us to do and as we have done in the past.

“In the Champions League we were very close. The elimination against Chelsea was a very close one and I missed that penalty against them.

“But this year we are ready to try again, we are ready to try [to win the Champions League]. I don’t think there are easy groups in the Champions League, I think the opponents are all complicated.

“It seems like some groups are more complicated than others, but it’s all decided on the pitch. You have to play the matches first.

“We know from experience that every team can make it complicated for you. They are difficult games.”

Barcelona begin their quest to recapture the Champions League title when they face Spartak Moscow on Wednesday at Camp Nou.