Five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi insists Barcelona’s belief hasn’t been affected by a poor run of form as they travel to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday holding a precarious 2-1 first-leg lead in their Champions League quarter-final, AFP reports.
A run of just one point from their last three La Liga games has seen Atletico close to within three points of Barca at the top of La Liga.
“Our mindset remains the same,” Messi wrote on his official Facebook page.
“We work hard all year to have a chance of winning trophies at the end of the season. We continue to believe in ourselves.”
Barca remain on course to repeat their treble feat of last season and become the first side to retain the Champions League in the process.
However, the European champions also had luck on their side to ensure the narrowest of first-leg leads as Fernando Torres was sent off for two rash challenges before half-time at the Camp Nou, after firing Atletico into an early lead.
By contrast, Luis Suarez went unpunished despite aiming a kick at Juanfran and clashing with Filipe Luis off the ball.
Suarez went on to turn the game around with Barca’s two goals after the break to take his tally for the season to 45 in 45 games.
