Lionel Messi claims Barcelona’s Champions League exit at Anfield has ‘tainted’ their season.
Ernesto Valverde’s side crashed out of the semi-final at the hands of an improbable second leg comeback by Liverpool earlier this month.
The Spanish champions held a 3-0 lead heading to Merseyside but were eliminated from Europe’s premier club competition on a 4-3 aggregate.
Barca could still finish Messi’s first season as club captain with a league and cup double should they beat Valencia in Saturday’s Copa del Rey final.
But the Argentina international believes that the capitulation against the Reds has cast a shadow over an otherwise successful campaign.
He said: “I had a great first season as captain, apart from the Liverpool game. Regrettably, that game has tainted the season.
“We are still getting over the setback at Liverpool. It was a big blow. It was difficult to pick ourselves up as you could see in the following game.
“I haven’t watched the game again, it was very similar to Roma [last season] where we went into the game and suddenly they scored.
“We reacted well, then they scored the second goal and we didn’t compete, the worst thing is that we didn’t compete. We let them walk all over us.
“We were all thinking about being champions and we were all very disappointed, first for the elimination, second for the manner, third for the fact it happened again.
“It has been a spectacular year in which we have won the league and we are in the final of the Copa del Rey. We have had a great season with the exception of the game at Liverpool.
“That game has spoilt a little the year we have had. I just want to win the final and end the season with another trophy.”
Such was the impact of the Liverpool game that Messi admits he is still preoccupied by it despite being set to claim a third European Golden Shoe award.
“Honestly I am not even thinking about the European Golden Shoe,” he added.
“Not in my head at all. What happened at Liverpool is in my head.
“Like I said it was a big blow and I am not thinking about personal things, just getting to this Copa final and winning another trophy.”