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Leo Messi says Tito Vilanova's absence through illness affected Barcelona's campaign this term, but he is happy it has ended on a winning note, ESPN FC reported. 

Barca recovered quickly from the shock of Pep Guardiola leaving last summer to led the Primera Division from start to finish this season, but performances suffered in the spring when head coach Vilanova was in New York receiving cancer treatment and assistant Jordi Roura sat on the Camp Nou bench.

Messi told Mexican channel TV Azteca that reclaiming the La Liga title made him very happy, but things had not always been so upbeat during the season at the Camp Nou.

"It gave me a lot of joy," Messi said. "La Liga is very important, with Real Madrid, one of the best teams in the world. The truth is it was not very easy as we were coming from a change, with Guardiola's goodbye.

"When Tito came we felt well, because practically nothing changed. But when he left we noticed the change, not because Roura or the people who stayed could not do it, but because we were missing our head coach, the one who talked to us from the first day... It was not the same. The season is very long and to finish it celebrating is very nice."