Lionel Messi is 'disappointed' and 'feels deceived' by his old friend and Barcelona team-mate Gerard Pique, with superstar believing defender 'could have done more to help him avoid shock exit from the Nou Camp'

Lionel Messi is reportedly ‘disappointed’ with Gerard Pique in the wake of the contract saga which saw the former Barcelona superstar forced to leave the club.

Both players enjoyed a strong friendship while at the Nou Camp, but parted ways in the summer with Messi instead moving to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

That was because the crisis-stricken Catalans were unable to stump up the funds to tie down the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, despite a desperate, late scramble.

Lionel Messi is reportedly ‘disappointed’ with his former Barcelona team-mate Gerard Pique

Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets both took salary cuts in a bid to free up room for Messi to stay, although the veterans’ efforts ultimately proved fruitless. 

Pique, however, did not take a drastic clash to his wage package until after Messi had left – a situation the latter is said to still harbour frustration over. 

Indeed, Messi recently returned to Barcelona after being handed a break by PSG, and spent part of his down time by enjoying dinner with former team-mates. 

On Monday evening, the mercurial forward was joined by both Busquets and Alba at a high-end Japanese restaurant, although Pique, his old friend, was not present. 

Superstar Messi was forced to leave his boyhood club in the summer, and then joined PSG

Sport revealed that the experienced centre back was not invited to the get-together.

According to journalist Lluis Canut, Messi feels ‘deceived’ by Pique. 

He told Onze on TV3: ‘The last contract renewal signed by Pique did a lot of damage to Messi and he felt disappointed.

‘In part, he also felt deceived by Pique, because [he then didn’t further reduce his contract] until Messi left the club and Messi felt he should have done that earlier to try and avoid his exit.’ 

Messi returned to Barcelona this week for a meal, but his old friend Pique was not invited

Reports in Spain have claimed that the friendship between the two players has deteriorated

Onda Cero reporter Alfredo Martinez, meanwhile, says their relationship is ‘broken’. 

Just a month ago, Pique revealed it was difficult to see Messi depart his boyhood side, and hailed him as the ‘best in history’.   

‘I have shared a dressing room since I was 13 years old, he is almost like a brother, and it was very hard on a sporting and personal level,’ he told El Homiguero.

‘This year things have not started well in part because the best in history has left us.’