Eric Abidal has revealed that Lionel Messi was ‘hurt’ by messages the Frenchman sent to his Barcelona team-mates when he was undergoing treatment for liver cancer.

The former France international defender took in six years at Camp Nou, but spent a prolonged period on the sidelines after being diagnosed in 2011.

He has now revealed that during his treatment, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was left so upset by a video message that he’d have preferred his team-mate hadn’t sent it.

Abidal, who has had a liver transplant and has been given the all-clear, concluded his career with Monaco and Olympiakos, while he also turned out with Lille and Lyon.

He won three Ligue 1 titles in France, but enjoyed his greatest successes with Barca, where he claimed La Liga four times and the Champions League twice.