Former Real Madrid star believes Barcelona would not be as successful as they are now without Lionel Messi

What's the story?

Former Real Madrid man Jorge Valdano has maintained that while Barcelona would still be successful without star man Lionel Messi, they would not have reached the heights they are at now in his absence.

In case you didn't know...

As the years have passed, Messi has become more and more integral to the soul of the Barcelona squad, especially with the departures of Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

Despite the burden, the 31-year-old has constantly proven to be capable of leading the team, as goal-scorer and creator, as opposed to what certain critics had to say.

The Argentine boasts of nine La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, five Ballon d'Ors and five European Golden Shoes but his records alone are testament to his talent.

This season, Messi has already netted 29 goals in La Liga alone and is well on his way to win yet another Golden Shoe.

The heart of the matter

Valdano believes that the power of Messi should not be under-rated as some of Barcelona's greater achievements would not have been possible without the creative and attacking force of the Argentine.

He said (via Marca), "I believe that every successful team must have a genius. There are some teams who are more renowned for having exceptional coaches, whereas others are known for having superstars."

"Barcelona still would have been hugely successful without Lionel Messi, but they certainly would not be at the same level they currently are with him in the side."

"Would Barcelona have won as consummately as they did against [Real] Betis without Messi? The answer is no."

"Would they have performed as excellently as they did in the Champions League last week without Messi? No."

The former Blancos star added, "The impact that Messi has on every game should not be understated; he is the star man and when he plays well, so does the rest of the team."

What's next?

Barcelona will return to action after the international break when they face Espanyol in La Liga on March 30.