After being officially presented with his seventh Pichichi trophy, FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi claimed that football has changed for the worse over the past year.
Click through the gallery above to see some images of Messi collecting his latest Pichichi prize!
The Argentine won a record seventh Pichichi prize for his efforts in LaLiga last season, an award handed to the top goalscorer in Spain's top division every season. Messi struck 25 times in the league for Barca, beating Real Madrid's Karim Benzema to the accolade.
Speaking in an interview after being handed his latest individual prize, the Blaugrana captain said he "would prefer to win LaLiga again" than claim another Pichichi, and also touched on the current state of the sport.
Asked about playing in front of an empty stadium, the 33-year-old said it is "horrible" to play without spectators, and claimed football has changed for the worse.
"Yes, very. It's horrible to play without fans," Messi told Marca.
"It's not a nice feeling. Not seeing anyone in the stadium makes it like training, and it takes a lot to get into the game at the beginning.
"That's why we see such even games. It's very hard to win whoever you are playing against. The pandemic has caused football to change a lot, and for the worse.
"We are seeing it in games. Hopefully, after all this is over, we can get people back into the stadiums and get back to normal."
Messi Breaks Silence On Barca Situation
Messi has scored just six league goals in 13 games so far this season for the Blaugrana, with Villarreal's Gerard Moreno currently leading the way with eight strikes.
Where does Messi rank among the best-paid players in Spain? Click through the gallery below to find out:
