Barcelona captain Lionel Messi admits he's seriously considered leaving the club in the past.

Messi, speaking on RAC1, revealed he was upset with the way he was being treated by the Spanish tax authorities.

He stated: "There have been times when I ended up tired due to a lot of circumstances. I had several times, especially in 2013 and 2014, when I had the problem with the Treasury. It was very difficult for me and my family.

"People really don't know about what happens at that moment, they don't listen, they think and talk. I was the first one and that's why it was all so hard. Since they got angry and showed that they were going for everything with me, showing that they were going for all the players, it was diluted.

"The best of all is that my children were small and did not know anything, but we had a hard time. At that time I had the mind to leave, not for wanting to leave Barça, but for what was happening."