Considering it happened almost five months ago it’s amazing how often Barcelona’s Liverpool nightmare still gets mentioned by the club's supporters, players and directors.

As they prepare to face Villarreal on Tuesday night and try to put behind them a start to the season that has seen them drop to eighth, with the joint-worst defensive record in La Liga, once again it’s being dredged up.

The 4-0 defeat at Anfield was so very nearly the end of coach Ernesto Valverde. Had Lionel Messi backed a change of manager it probably would have been.

Ernesto Valverde is under growing pressure following Barcelona's poor start to the season

The Barcelona boss is already relying on the return of Lionel Messi to turn the season around

Now, five games into the new season, the pressure is on the Barcelona coach again and he needs Messi to save him once more.

The almost-sacking of Valverde last May was not just a knee-jerk reaction to the 4-0 at Anfield.

It was also recognition that Liverpool had actually got the better of Barcelona for long spells of the first leg at the Camp Nou. Most people didn’t realise because Messi scored twice and Barcelona won 3-0.

But some people did notice and did not understand why Barcelona then made many of the same mistakes in the second leg.

Messi (centre) came on at half-time but couldn't prevent his side losing 2-0 to Granada

Valverde ended last season, losing the cup to Valencia, still in a job, but knowing that some doubted his ability to take the club forward.

He was given the signing of Antoine Griezmann in the summer – a player he had asked for, albeit two seasons earlier. And it seemed he had the backing of his captain Messi.

BARCELONA IN LA LIGA THIS SEASON Granada 2-0 Barcelona Barcelona 5-2 Valencia Osasuna 2-2 Barcelona Barcelona 5-2 Real Betis Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Barcelona Advertisement

But there were two problems. First: Messi didn’t seem as keen on the Griezmann signing as Valverde; he clearly wanted Neymar instead.

And secondly: Messi was injured anyway and would not start the season.

Messi’s recent exclusive interview with Diario Sport in Barcelona was significant for various reasons. He almost never gives newspaper interviews. He had picked Sport – the paper closest to Neymar and Neymar’s entourage – to voice his thoughts.

In the interview Messi was asked: ‘Do you think Barça did everything possible to sign him (Neymar)?’

He replied: ‘I don’t know, I really don’t know if they did everything possible. I didn’t have much information about how the negotiations were going to say if Barcelona did everything possible. I would love Neymar to have signed. Obviously he would have increased our possibilities of getting the results that we all want.’

Messi (L) tries to control the ball as Antoine Griezmann watches on during Monday's training

Asked if he had had the chance to get to know Griezmann, he told Sport: ‘Very little. I came back injured and did not train with the team. They went on tour and when they came back I have not been in the same dressing room (as him) that much. But I am there in training (now). We will have the chance to share many things.’ It was cold, certainly a lot colder than the words regarding Neymar.

One Mundo Deportivo columnist wrote sarcastically today after the weekend defeat: ‘I don’t know if they (the players]) did all they could to beat Granada.’

Valverde needs a big Barcelona performance on Tuesday and looks like handing Messi his first start in order to maximise the chances of that happening.

Visitors Villarreal are above Barcelona in the table and have Santi Cazorla playing brilliantly in midfield. They will be difficult opponents for all that Barcelona’s home form continues to be far better than away form.

Luis Suarez (L), Messi (C) and Valverde know they have a difficult season ahead of them

There is also the Ansu Fati factor. He has been a breath of fresh air for the team and for the coach who has been bold enough to pick him.

But a kid not 17 until next month, can’t be expected to carry the season, and he’ll be off with Spain’s Under-17s next month anyway. It must fall to Messi to turn this season around.

‘We expect a long and difficult year,’ said Luis Suarez in his post-match interview on Saturday. He also needs to have his strike partner back alongside him soon, but as his best pal off the pitch he will know as well as anyone that Messi is not 100 per cent.

While Barcelona supporters were delighted to see him named ‘The Best’ in Milan on Monday his words were not completely reassuring.

Messi's return to fitness comes at a welcome time with Valverde's men having struggled so far

‘We are going to go bit by bit. I felt tired, heavy-legged, without spark or rhythm,’ he said of his summer fitness problems.

‘It will all come with minutes on the pitch. But I have to take it steady,’ he added.

Over the last couple of years Messi has become the difference between Barcelona being unbeatable and being, at times, unrecognizable. That was certainly the case in the two games against Liverpool at the end of last season.

Barcelona are still suffering from that Anfield hangover five months on. Messi, for the club and the coach, is the only long-term cure.