Barcelona's Lionel Messi has explained how tough it has been to play without fans in the last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, likening the experience to a training session.

"It's horrible to play without fans, it's a very ugly sensation," Barcelona captain Messi told newspaper Marca on Monday after receiving the "Pichichi" award for the top scorer in La Liga last season.

"Seeing no one in the stadium is like a training session and it is very tough to really get going at the start of a game."