Lionel Messi Talks Off-Field Problems, Barcelona and 2015 Champions League Final

Lionel Messi is in reflective mood ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Juventus. Barcelona's superstar forward has already captured the trophy three times, but he knows victory will secure an unprecedented second treble in six years for the Blaugrana.

Like any player, Messi's form is prone to ups and downs. However, only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo receives a comparable level of scrutiny when things aren't progressing as normal.

In Messi's case, "normal" means constantly leading Barca to success with a ridiculous amount of goals and assists.

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While his form this year has been exemplary—netting 58 strikes across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and Champions League, per WhoScored.com—Messi admits off-field issues were to blame for why he struggled throughout a problem-ridden 2013-14 campaign, as reported by Sky Sports:

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Perhaps over last year (2013-14) the season hasn’t been good for me, because of several situations on and off the pitch. Whether you like it or not, this always has an influence on your performance on the pitch.

I suffered an injury and it took me a while to get back and do what I wanted to do. So a few things weren’t so good. I have always tried to enjoy it and do things well. And now this season I have tried to be the same as last year.

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Alongside the injury problems which followed Messi into 2014, he also came under off-the-field pressure due to an ongoing court investigation. He and his father Jorge have been "accused of defrauding the authorities of more than 4 million euros (£3.1m; $5m)" in tax, according to BBC News. Both have denied any wrongdoing.

Messi suggested the assistance of Barcelona has helped him progress through difficult moments. "I have been very grateful for what the club has done for me and the warmth and support I received from it," he said, per Sky Sports. "I have developed and grown here at this club. I like this club a lot because, as I said before, it’s more than just how they helped and supported me in all the years I have been here."

It's a measure of the player's brilliance that—despite scoring 36 goals across La Liga and the Champions League during 13-14—he is still forced to explain his drop in production. Most world-class players would dream of reaching this mark amid their best form, let alone when things have slowed.

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Messi also looked forward to the Champions League final and the considerable task of overcoming Juventus in his interview. The Italian side are marked as underdogs by many, just like they were before they toppled Real Madrid across two legs. Messi is expecting a major challenge, as reported by Sky Sports:

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It’s a Champions League final where we have suffered a lot to make it to the final because we know it is not easy to become champions again. Our dream is to win it all.

We know that we will face a very tricky opponent, they are very strong. Juventus are a big team. It is a final and anything can happen, but we will prepare and approach it as we have approached finals before.

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Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is capable of producing a tactical game plan which could stem the flow of Barca's "MSN" attacking trio. Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez have proven deadly throughout the season, but having stopped Madrid's "BBC"—Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale—Allegri will be confident of surprising the doubters.

MailOnline Sport highlighted why this may be a hurdle too far for Juve, though:

Allegri's strategy may involve cramming the midfield with combative talent. Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba will be key no matter what setup the Italian boss uses, but hard-working strikers Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata are also likely to drop back to try to dominate the centre. Stopping Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic's flow of possession will in turn limit Messi's opportunities.

As the Argentinian proved with a late brace during the first-leg semi-final tie with Bayern, he needs minimal openings to make a huge difference. B/R UK's Sam Tighe believes Barca will just take the edge in what is destined to be an entertaining final:

Messi needs one goal to move ahead of Ronaldo as the all-time Champions League top scorer. He is currently tied with the Portuguese star on 10 strikes in this season's tournament, so there's plenty of personal triumph up for grabs.

However, Messi is the type of player who puts his team first and would rather lay on a sure-fire goal than risk missing a difficult attempt of his own.

As noted during his aforementioned interview, he is eternally grateful for Barcelona's dedication and support. A match-winning performance in Saturday's showdown will once again see his feeling of love toward the club reciprocated.