Why Barcelona Are Confident Messi Will Be Fit for UCL Tie

Lionel Messi is expected to be fit for Barcelona’s crucial Champions League clash against Bayern Munich in Lisbon on Friday despite needing treatment on the pitch following a heavy challenge from defender Kalidou Koulibaly in Saturday’s last-16 win over Napoli.

Manager Quique Setien admitted after the game that Messi had taken a “fierce knock” from the defender at the Camp Nou and would require further treatment this week.

Messi was given painkillers after the match and reported for training on Sunday with a “strong bruise on the inside of the left ankle with a swollen area” due to the tackle, according to Javier Miguel at AS.

The Argentina international started his “recovery treatment” on Sunday which is “based on anti-inflammatories” to reduce the swelling and rest. Barcelona players have a day off on Monday and Messi is expected to return to training on Tuesday or Wednesday at the Ciutat Esportiva.

Barcelona are not scheduled to travel to Lisbon until Thursday, leaving Messi plenty of time to recover fully from his knock. Miguel reports there is “no danger” of the club captain missing the crucial tie.

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Bayern Wary of Messi and Barcelona  Threat

Bayern Munich take on Barcelona after hammering Premier League side Chelsea 7-1 on aggregate to book their place in the quarter-finals. The German giants have already completed a league and cup double and swept through the group stages of the Champions League without dropping a single point.

The Bundesliga giants also boast the tournament’s top scorer in Robert Lewandowski, who has struck 13 times in seven games for Bayern in Europe’s top competition in 2019-20. He also managed 34 goals in 31 Bundesliga games this season.

Yet Bayern manager Hansi Flick is still wary of the threat posed to his side by Barcelona and feels Messi is not the only player capable of doing damage.

“We respect Barcelona and will prepare as always. Leo Messi is important, of course, but we can’t just look at him. Barcelona have more high-level players. We have to watch them all.”

The two teams will meet on Friday at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon with both teams hoping to lift the European Cup for the sixth time in their history. The winners of the tie will progress to a semi-final against either Manchester City or Lyon.

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