Messi to return against Celtic

It’s clear to Luis Enrique which of the next two matches are most important to Barcelona and therefore it’s likely that Lionel Messi will miss the game against Alaves in order to return against Celtic in the Champions League.

The Argentine will not train with the group in the next few sessions but will instead do gym work and undergo physio on the area where he is feeling discomfort on a daily basis.

If the player can participate in training on Friday there may be a slim chance of a cameo appearance in Saturday’s LaLiga fixture however, coach and player will hold a meeting towards the end of the week in which they will have to decide what’s best.

Leaving him out of the squad for Alaves entirely would not be unexpected, neither would a short run out to determine the extent of Messi’s fitness. Enrique is very clear that the important game is the debut in the Champions League against Celtic, and it’s for this tie that he wishes to have the Argentinian playing at full capacity.

Once every player returns from international duty on Thursday, the coach will have an idea of the squad that he’s able to pick from because injuries and the accumulated fatigue will also play a part in Saturday’s selection.Andres Iniesta is unlikely to feature and Andre Gomes was also injured on international duty and is following a special recovery plan.