"There was tension" - Former Barcelona star recalls verbal argument between Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique before treble success

Former Barcelona goalkeeper Jordi Masip has revealed that things got heated between Lionel Messi and manager Luis Enrique on their road to a historic treble in the 2014-15 season.

The 2014-15 season was one of the most successful in Barcelona’s storied history. The club won its second continental treble at the end of the campaign, winning the LaLiga, UEFA Champions League, and Copa del Rey.

While the season will forever be etched into football folklore for Barcelona’s achievements, the road to glory was not without its rocky moments behind the scenes. In a recent interview with Cadena SER, Masip claimed there was tension between Messi and Enrique early in the 2014-15 campaign. Reflecting on the internal dynamics at the club, he said:

"Luis Enrique and Messi didn't come to blows, but there was tension. It was normal given the situation at the time. From there, the treble was won, so welcome."

It is important to note that Barcelona’s second treble came during Enrique’s first season in charge of the club. The Spaniard joined the Catalan giants in the summer of 2014 from Celta Vigo. Masip, who came through La Blaugrana’s youth system, served as a backup to Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo during that season.

Apart from winning the treble, the 2014-15 season was also memorable for Barca as it marked the debut of the ‘MSN’ trio, consisting of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr. The season concluded with Messi winning his fifth Ballon d’Or.

"I had to manage the situation" – When Luis Enrique admitted to falling out with Lionel Messi at Barcelona

A few years after Luis Enrique had left Barcelona, he admitted that he and Lionel Messi were at odds at some point during his tenure. According to the Daily Mail, the tension that flared up between Messi and Enrique started after La Blaugrana lost a match 1-0 away from home to Real Sociedad in 2015.

Messi, who came on as a substitute in the Sociedad match, reportedly missed a subsequent training session due to a stomach ache. When the Argentine returned to the squad, he felt Enrique was singling him out in training. In one such training session, he lost his cool with the coach after the latter, acting as a referee, denied Messi a free kick.

Speaking to Radio Catalunya in 2019, Enrique revealed that things went south between him and Messi for a brief period. However, the two were eventually able to settle their differences.

"Until everything was sorted out there was a time of tension. I was not looking for it but it appeared and I had to manage the situation. But now I can only see great things about Messi," Enrique said.

Luis Enrique is currently the head coach at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) while Lionel Messi plies his trade in the MLS with Inter Miami.