Lionel Messi injury latest: Ernesto Valverde to make last-minute call on Barcelona star ahead of Inter clash

Touch and go: Valverde is still deciding whether to risk Messi against Inter
AFP/Getty Images
Ben Hayward6 November 2018

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde said he would wait until after his side’s training session on Monday before deciding whether Lionel Messi will feature against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Messi returned to training last Wednesday, just 11 days after suffering an arm fracture in La Liga against Sevilla, but the 31-year-old has travelled to Italy without confirmation from the medical staff that he can play against Inter.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had been expected to miss three weeks of action for Barca, but has recovered well and took part in Monday’s session on the pitch at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Just before that, Valverde spoke to the media inside the stadium and said: “We’ll have to wait for the training.

Messi suffered a fractured arm against Sevilla last month.
REUTERS

"Leo is at a point where he could be available, but we have to wait. We gave ourselves up until today's training. We’ll have to see the safety margins in which he moves. Otherwise he is fine.”

And asked if the Argentine could start against Inter, Valverde said: “There are three or four options. But we won’t run risks.”

Barca beat Inter 2-0 at Camp Nou without Messi two weeks ago and the Catalans have won all of their matches in his absence – including a spectacular 5-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Clasico and a last-gasp 3-2 success away to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

“It’s better if he’s here,” Valverde said. “Having him will give us another player to choose from. Of course we need him to recover.”

Inter were without Radja Nainggolan at Camp Nou, but the Belgian midfielder looks set to return from injury on Tuesday to face Barca again after helping Roma knock the Catalans out of the Champions League last season.

Asked by an Italian journalist which player was a bigger miss, Valverde said: “It is a difficult question to answer. [Luciano] Spalletti would say Nainggolan, in our case it’s Messi. They are two important players.”

Barca have won all of their three Champions League games so far this season and a victory in Milan would seal their place in the last 16 with two matches to spare.

“To be already in this situation in the fourth game of the group is great,” Valverde said. “But I do not want to take too many risks. We are going to prepare for the game. We would like to win, of course.

“We're expecting a similar opponent to the one we found at Camp Nou – definitely more aggressive because of the pressure [on them]. Inter are very intense, they want to dominate the game and not submit to their opponent, but to press high. We expect a better Inter.”

Barca’s Sergi Roberto also spoke to the media ahead of the match and said: “We were a little bit shocked at first with Messi out. He’s the most important player, the best in the world. But we have won all our games without him.

“He is happy to be back with us and we are happy he is here. I don’t know if he will play, but we are really pleased he is recovered.”

Messi was all smiles in a light-hearted session on Monday evening, although he was also visibly careful with his arm movements out on the pitch at the Giuseppe Meazza and Barca will make a late decision on his participation in Tuesday’s Group B game.

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