Lionel Messi returned to Barcelona earlier this week.

The Argentine was permitted by Paris Saint-Germain to leave the country and enjoy a break in his former home city.

Messi spent part of his break having dinner with some of his former Barcelona teammates.

On Monday evening, Messi had dinner with his close friends and long-time teammates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, at a high-end Japanese restaurant.

Coincidentally, Xavi was also present at the restaurant where he was dining ahead of his 42nd birthday. 

One of Messi's oldest friends, Gerard Pique, was not present.

The two have been friends since their teenage years, where they grew up alongside each other at La Masia.

But there have been reports in the past few months that their relationship has become strained.

And now, even more reports have emerged which detail the tension between the pair.

Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique at Barcelona

Spanish publication Sport have revealed that Pique was not invited to the dinner.

According to journalist Lluis Canut, Messi is 'disappointed' and feels 'deceived' by the defender for renewing his contract outside of the collective negotiations.

He said on Onze on TV3, per Sport: "The last contract renewal signed by Pique did a lot of damage to Messi and he felt disappointed.

Denis Zakaria to Man United POSSIBLE! Hear more on The Football Terrace...

"In part, he also felt deceived by Pique, because [he then didn't further reduce his contract] until Messi left the club and Messi felt he should have done that earlier to try and avoid his exit."

While Onda Cero journalist Alfredo Martinez has claimed that their relationship is now 'broken' following Messi's departure.

The report comes just a month after Pique said it was hard to see Messi leave the club.

"I have shared a dressing room since I was 13 years old, he is almost like a brother, and it was very hard on a sporting and personal level," he told Spanish television show El Homiguero, per the Daily Mail.

"This year things have not started well in part because the best in history has left us."