Barcelona, February 21 (PL)-- Lionel Messi, forward for Barcelona football club, explained why he reposted the statements of the team's manager, Erick Abidal, since he felt attacked.

'I don't know what went through his head when he said that, but I think I responded because I felt attacked, I felt he was attacking the players,' said Messi in an interview to the Mundo Deportivo daily.

'There are several rumors already, such as that I have too much power and I take decisions, that is why I corrected him, I knew I could not let the manager attack me that way,' said Messi.

As for the accusations on alleged discredit campaigns promoted by the club's presidency towards its icons, the six-time winner of the Golden Ball said: 'The truth is that I see it strange that such a thing happens, but they also said there would be evidence, we will have to wait to see if it is true or not'.

Barcelona will face next week's first leg in the round of the European Football Champions League against Naples, and given the unstable performance of the team, Messi warned: 'If we want the Champions League, we have to grow, and a lot, today is not enough for us as we are '.