Reuters/Barcelona
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is fit for today’s trip to Celta Vigo in La Liga after a scare over a possible foot injury, coach Luis Enrique said yesterday.
Messi, the top scorer in Spain’s top flight with 32 goals, did not feature in either of Argentina’s friendlies during the international break after sustaining a blow to his right foot which caused swelling and inflammation.
“He is perfectly fine, in perfect condition from what we have seen during training,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.
“Players are used to it and Leo and the rest of the strikers know that it is a part of their career in football,” added the former Spain and Barca midfielder.
“This kind of knock can develop positively so that the pain disappears in two or three days or it can get more complicated.
“But he has been fine since he arrived back. The knock is still there but he has recovered.”
When they run out at Celta, Barca could have seen their four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid in La Liga cut to a point if Real beat Granada at home earlier on Sunday.
Luis Enrique’s men are in with a chance of repeating 2009’s unprecedented treble under Pep Guardiola, when they won the Spanish league and Cup and the Champions League.
Through to face Paris St Germain in the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition, Barca will seek a record-extending 27th King’s Cup crown when they play Athletic Bilbao in the final at the Nou Camp on May 30.
“All the titles are nice and they all have their complicated side,” Luis Enrique said.
“We just have to focus on continuing to do what we have been doing all season.”
Barca, who have won 18 of their 20 matches since the turn of the year, also have La Liga games at home to Almeria and away at Sevilla before they play their Champions League quarter-final, first leg at PSG on April 15.