Lionel Messi's attitude towards teammate Antoine Griezmann has been described as 'deplorable' by the Frenchman's former advisor, who has blamed Messi and Barcelona for his former client's lack of form.
Griezmann's time at the Nou Camp has so far not been the dream everyone was hoping for when he signed for €120 million last summer, a year later than originally expected.
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At the time Messi had wanted the club to re-sign Neymar but they couldn't afford the Brazilian having already brought Griezmann from Atletico Madrid.
The relationship between the two Barca forwards has reportedly been icy at best and the World Cup winner's former advisor Eric Olhats has blamed Messi and the club for his former protegee's lack of form.
"Antoine arrived in a struggling club where Messi has a view on everything. He's at the same time emperor and monarch, and he didn't see Antoine's arrival with a good eye," Olhats told France Football, via Sport Witness.
"His attitude has been deplorable, he made him feel that. I've always heard Antoine say there's no problem with Messi, but never the other way around.
"In my eyes, Messi said he wanted to leave to see what role he still had as a decision-making player, regarding the players who arrived and those who left, but he eventually stayed. Classic Messi! As good on the pitch as he is bad off it... Barcelona has been suffering for a while. There was a cancer in that club, and it obviously leaves some marks."
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Focusing on the form of the 29-year-old, who only scored 15 goals in 48 appearances last season and added just two in nine so far this season, Olhats claimed it is the club that's the issue, rather than the player.
Citing Messi, again, as well as several changes to the Catalan giants in the past 15 months, the man who initially spotted the former Real Sociedad star's potential added, "It's club that's sick, not him. Last year, when Antoine arrived, Messi didn't talk to him, didn't pass him the ball. He created a real trauma for a more than negative adaptation.
"That clearly left its mark. It was clear and visible. Add to that the president stepping down, the club conceding eight against Bayern and three different managers... The conditions aren't good."
It's not the first time that someone connected with the former Atleti star has hit out at Barcelona when the Frenchman has joined up with the national side.
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Last month France boss Didier Deschamps claimed the forward was unhappy with Ronald Koeman for playing him on the right of attack rather than centrally.
Recently he has played as a central striker and played alongside Ansu Fati at the weekend, as Barca beat Real Betis 5-2.
Despite scoring two goals, Griezmann was clearly upset at missing a penalty during the game.
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