Marvellous Lionel Messi can guide Barcelona to Champions League crown

Barcelona's talismanic Lionel Messi remains the driving force of a talented side on the brink of repeating 2009's historic trble despite a change in their coach and style of football, not to mention a host of players.

Messi was described as unstoppable by former Barca coach Pep Guardiola, whose Bayern Munich side were eliminated by the Spaniards in the semi-finals, and similar superlatives have been used by others tasked with trying to thwart the South American genius.

After a disappointing 2014, when Messi failed in his mission to win the World Cup for Argentina and often looked distant and uninterested on the pitch, he is once again playing with a smile on his face.

He put Barcelona on course to win the King's Cup last weekend with the opening goal - the first of a double - which will go down among the best he has ever scored, when he left four players trailing in his wake with a mazy run towards goal.

"Leo is like an extra-terrestrial," Barca and Argentina team mate Javier Mascherano said. "We are very fortunate to be able to see him do it in the flesh."

The 2009 treble triumph was built around Guardiola's possession-based playing philosophy that became popularly known as "tiki-taka".

While the basis of their passing football remains the same, it has been adapted by current coach Luis Enrique to suit the latest squad.