Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates his second goal against Elche during their Spanish first division soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona August 24, 2014.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates his second goal against Elche during their Spanish first division soccer match at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona August 24, 2014. REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino

Former FC Barcelona manager Tata Martino is in doubt if Nou Camp superstar Lionel Messi will be able to replicate his old superior form after experiencing a decline in form brought about by injuries.

The 27-year-old has had some problems with his legs in the past two seasons that has bothered him since. During his Ballon d'Or-winning days, it was almost effortless for the diminutive Argentinean to strike the ball into the back of the net, tallying as much as 73 goals in all competitions in just a year's campaign alone.

While he was able to find the back of the net 41 times and recorded 16 assists during the 2013/14 term, it is no longer the numbers that the then god-like Messi used to produce.

"Any comparison with the two-to-three-year period in which he was at his best [is unfair]," Martino told Spanish outlet Marca.

"It's very difficult to get back to that sort of level after so long. I don't know if we'll have the chance to see it happen."

"It's like when people compare Barcelona now to what they were like under Guardiola"

Neverthless, Martino, who is currently the man-in-charge of La Albiceleste, revealed that the "little magician" is "is trying to get back to his best."

For more football news, follow IBTimes Sport on Twitter.

RELATED STORIES