Messi: Barcelona have to value this league title and celebrate it LaLiga - Deportivo 2-4 Barcelona "We were very superior to our rivals"

Fresh from snapping up his ninth LaLiga winners' medal, Lionel Messi emphasised the incredible feat undertaken by this Barcelona side to claim the 2017/18 title without losing any of their opening 34 games.

Four fixtures are still left to play and yet the Blaugrana are already confirmed as champions, having sealed a 4-2 win at Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday night, in which Messi racked up a hat-trick.

"Very happy, winning this league brings great joy," the forward summarised to the assembled press.

"We know how tough it is to win LaLiga. That's why we have to value it and celebrate it properly with all our people.

"It was a very special title for all of us because we are yet to lose any matches. We have had difficult moments and we overcame them without knowing the feeling of defeat and that is incredible.

"We were very superior to our rivals and we lost almost no matches [in all competitions], only one in the Copa del Rey and unfortunately the one in Rome, where we had a very unexpected result."

The title comes just after Andres Iniesta confirmed that he was leaving Barcelona in the summer, and Messi was delighted to send the playmaker off with a double.

"It's a shame, like when Xavi or [Javier] Mascherano left, symbolic players for the club," he continued.

"This year it was up to Andres. [It is] a pity for us and for the club.

"He leaves in the best way, although we regret that it wasn't with the Champions League and a treble.

"It is a double that he more than deserves. I am very happy for him and we wish him the best."