GOAL

Former Barcelona star Carles Rexach has hit out at Lionel Messi, claiming that the Argentine ate too many pizzas last season.

Rexach says the Argentine put on too much weight last season and believes Luis Enrique is too strict with his players

The 2013-14 campaign was an underwhelming one for the Argentine as he tallied his lowest number of goals since 2008-09 and Barca finished the campaign without a major trophy.

Rexach, who played for the Blaugrana from 1967-1981 and later coached the club, believes the attacker gained weight last year because he was eating too many pizzas.

"Before he would eat at the club and then rest afterwards, but it seems to me that last year Messi ate more pizzas than he wanted or needed," Rexach told Regio7.

The former winger also touched on current Barca coach Luis Enrique's first season in charge. The ex-Roma boss had a well-publicised falling-out with Messi and is currently enduring a number of dressing room problems with members of his squad.

"Luis Enrique has started with too many rules - whoever doesn't train doesn't play," he said. "Let's see what happens when Messi doesn't train and you need him!"

Barcelona currently sit second in La Liga, four points behind Real Madrid.