Gerardo Martino: 'Team more important than individuals'

Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino has insisted that no single player is to blame for their elimination in the Champions League and stumble in La Liga.

The Catalan outfit exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Atletico Madrid last week, before seeing their title challenge suffer a blow with a 1-0 defeat at Granada.

When questioned on Lionel Messi's form in those two matches, Martino simply claimed that the team is more important than individual performances.

"We must all contribute to the team, to improve. Under no circumstances should be expected to contribute more than that. The stronger we are as a team, the better we are," Inside Spanish Football quotes the Argentine as saying at a press conference.

Barcelona face Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.