Barca under pressure after Messi’s title talk

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has said that Barcelona are under pressure this season to win after Lionel Messi promised the supporters that the team will win the Champions League back from Real Madrid.

While Barcelona have dominated domestically in recent years, winning three titles in four seasons, Real Madrid have been able to conquer Europe, winning three back-to-back Champions League titles in the last three seasons.

In a speech, Messi promised fans at the start of the Joan Gamper trophy this season that Champions League is the top priority this season.

“Messi's already put the pressure on in terms of titles,” Suarez joked in an interview with RAC1. “But now it's up to us to perform on the pitch. After the Gamper game, we spoke about the pressure he had put us under [laughs]. But that shows what Lionel is about, how desperate he is to win. I hope what he wished for comes true.”

He also reiterated that Messi is more motivated after last season’s Champions League debacle at the hands of Roma and a disappointing World Cup.

"He's really motivated, even more so after the World Cup and the Champions League," the Uruguay forward added. "Now he's the captain, the leader and he wants to lift trophies. We have a quality team and a coach to be able to win everything.

"But it's a really difficult competition to win and [Messi] can't win it on his own. It has to be a collective effort, as good as he is. We have to be compact. Leo deserves more,” Suarez added.

Suarez admitted that Real’s recent success in Europe is infuriating for Barca.

“Obviously it's infuriating [for us] because Madrid have won the Champions League in each of the last three years. They have made history and it's a thorn in our side.”