Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique Barcelona Spat Confirmed by Jeremy Mathieu

Barcelona defender Jeremy Mathieu confirmed on Wednesday, during an interview with French news outlet RMC Sport, that there is some truth behind longstanding rumours of a training ground incident between Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi.

According to the 31-year-old, the Argentina international had strong words for Enrique for the latter's decision not to give the four-time Ballon d'Or winner a free-kick after he believed he was tripped.

Marca previously reported on the incident, which was never confirmed by anyone associated with the club.

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Until now. Speaking to RMC Sport (quotes in French, translated by the author), he said:

"

It happened when we returned from holiday. Suddenly, because of a foul that didn't get called, Leo threw a... minor tantrum. There was some friction, some things were said.

Afterwards, the coach talked to him in the dressing room and that was that. It happens at every club, but because this is Barcelona it's big news. And that's the problem.

"

At the time, the Blaugrana appeared to be in a minor crisis, and reports of a falling out between the club's biggest star and the manager followed in the wake of a painful loss against Real Sociedad, per Sky Sports (for Fox Sports).

As reported by ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan, Enrique denied there was a rift between him and Messi, but refused to comment on specific incidents:

"

The things which happen inside the dressing room, the team, always stay inside. I will not confirm or deny stories [about any row]. The majority of the stories which come out are bad-intentioned.

I do not speak every day with each player. When there is something to talk about there is individual contact all the time. With Messi, [Luis] Suarez, with everyone. Messi is the best player in the world, I have said that many times, there is no point in constantly repeating it.

"

The Catalans have since won three straight in La Liga in decisive fashion and knocked Atletico Madrid out of the Copa del Rey, silencing the criticism and pushing talks of friction in the dressing room to the back-burner.

BBC Sport's Andy West even believes the incident may have helped the team on the pitch:

As Mathieu stated during the interview, these things happen at every club, on every level. At the time, the incident was blown out of proportion, and talks of a rift in the locker room proved unfounded when the club kept on winning matches, drawing within a single point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Mathieu's confirmation of the incident proves even the best in the world can sometimes lose their cool over something as trivial as a foul going unpunished in training, but judging by the club's current run, that friction has all but vanished.

Follow @ReverschPass