Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich: Lionel Messi's Key Comments from Pre-Match Presser

Lionel Messi insists former boss Pep Guardiola has no advantage when bringing his Bayern Munich side to face Barcelona on Wednesday, and he warned the German outfit their current injury list is no excuse should they lose.

The Argentinian spoke to the press ahead of the mouthwatering Champions League semi-final first-leg encounter, in which Pep will walk out at the Camp Nou as an opposition manager for the first time.

Messi doesn't think Guardiola, who led Barca to 14 trophies between 2008-12, has an easier task because of his knowledge of the club, per the Blaugrana's official Twitter feed:

David Ramos/Getty Images

It'll be all business once the first whistle sounds, according to Messi, per Barca:

Messi admits his contact with Guardiola has waned since his departure, as tweeted by Eurosport:

Stories of Messi falling out with current boss Luis Enrique plagued the January transfer window, which is something Enrique "rubbished," per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC.

The rumours were sparked by Messi being left out of Barca's trip to Real Sociedad, but the player confirmed he has no problems with his current boss, as tweeted by Sport:

Bayern head into the match with injuries to Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, but Messi doesn't believe the German visitors can complain, as reported by the Champions League's official account:

David Ramos/Getty Images

Messi suggests injuries played a role in Bayern thumping Barca 7-0 on aggregate two years ago and that teams of this calibre shouldn't try to pin their failings on a lack of players, per Corrigan:

His relationship with Neymar and Luis Suarez continues to define Barcelona's performances, playing a major role in Barca racking up 14 goals in two matches, per WhoScored.com. He wasn't keen on discussing comparisons between the current trident and others, however, as noted by Corrigan:

"

Messi on Neymar & Suarez: “Cant say if this is the best trio of career. Had luck before to play with many spectacular, impressive players."

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) May 5, 2015"

The Argentinian is one goal behind top scorer Luiz Adriano this season in the Champions League, but with Shakhtar Donetsk out of the competition, Messi is expected to go head-to-head with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo for the top goalscoring prize.

Bayern previously wrapped up the Bundesliga title under Guardiola, and after being knocked out of the DFB-Pokal, they have all of their hopes pinned on Champions League success. Guardiola's team play possession-based football, and without their main counter-attacking options of Robben and Ribery, they will need to concoct a smart game plan to halt Barca's illustrious front three.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Guardiola can expect an emotional return, one in which he will need to remain fully focused to get one over his old colleagues.

He recently referred to Barcelona as "my home," as reported by Liam Corless of the Daily Mirror. His team represent a genuine threat to Barca's stay in the competition, however, so the feeling of goodwill is likely to subside once the match begins.

Messi, who won Guardiola so many matches over the years, is likely to play a key part in the ensuing drama.