Sergi Roberto: Barcelona Under 'More Pressure' in 2019-20 After Liverpool Loss

Barcelona will be under "more pressure" going into 2019-20 after they finished last season in disappointing fashion, according to Sergi Roberto. 

The Blaugrana won a second consecutive La Liga back in April, securing the title with three games remaining.

However, they ended the season in disappointment in two other competitions.

First, they squandered a 3-0 first-leg lead in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by losing the second leg 4-0 to Liverpool at Anfield before then losing 2-1 to Valencia in May's Copa del Rey final.

Last August, Lionel Messi pledged to Barcelona's fans that his side would "do all we can to bring that beautiful [Champions League] trophy back to the Camp Nou."

The Argentinian superstar looked well set to make good on his promise, but the Anfield debacle brought back unhappy memories of Barca's previous capitulation against Roma:

Right-back Roberto believes last season's disappointments have piled more pressure on the Catalan outfit for the new campaign, per TV3 (h/t Joan Trullols of Sport):

"We start the season with more pressure than last year because of everything that happened at the end of last season, but I also think we've gone up a level. The signings we have made so far have increased the level of the squad."

Barca have made two major signings this summer, bringing in Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid for £107 million and Frenkie de Jong from Ajax for £65 million.

Roberto, 27, is confident that 22-year-old De Jong will fit well into Ernesto Valverde's side:

"He's a signing that fits in at Barca perfectly. He had some great performances in big Champions League games last season. He's got good vision, really good on the ball and, despite being so young, he is more than ready to be with us and to help us. "

Barcelona have been Spain's most successful domestic side recently.

They have won eight of the last 11 La Liga titles, and before losing to Valencia they had won the Copa del Rey four times in a row.

In Europe, though, Barca have not reached the Champions League final since they last won the competition in 2015.

Since then, Spanish rivals Real Madrid have won the famous trophy three times, and Atletico Madrid have once been runners-up. 

Champions League glory will surely be Barca's priority in 2019-20 after last season's semi-final woes.