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Barcelona's team bus left Anfield without Lionel Messi, according to reports in Spain.

But all was not as it seems, as Messi was held behind by anti-doping testers and made alternative arrangements to catch up with his team-mates.

According to Spanish TV channel El Chiringuito, the Barcelona bus left for the airport whilst Messi was still at Anfield waiting to provide testers with a sample.

After a miserable evening on Merseyside, Barcelona were in no mood to hang around, even for their Argentine superstar.

Messi refused speak to the press after his side were stunned by Liverpool at Anfield, declining the chance to explain their latest Champions League failure in the mixed zone.

(Image: Getty Images)

Whereas team-mates Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets were amongst those to speak to reporters, Messi was shepherded through to the dressing room after a miserable evening.

Messi's first leg magic looked set to have put the Catalan club into the final, but he was unable to have the same impact as they were stunned in the second leg and thrashed 4-0.

It is the second straight year the Nou Camp giants have let a three goal advantage slip in the knockout stages of the competition having been turned over by Roma at the quarter-final stage last season.

There are now serious concerns that Messi, 31, may struggle in his quest to add a fifth Champions League winners' medal to his collection.

(Image: Clive Brunskill)

Busquets apologised on behalf of the team for their defeat, stating: "They have been better than us. I apologise.

"After what happened in Rome, this happened again. It’s tough to go out like this after the first-leg result.

"Liverpool have been smarter than us, they were faster. I think we had chances to score the goal we needed, but it wasn’t meant to be today."