Barcelona players were given the day off on Monday but captain Lionel Messi still turned up at the club’s Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training ground.
The Argentina international met with club doctors for around 90 minutes to continue his recovery from the ankle injury he suffered in Saturday’s 3-1 Champions League win over Napoli, according to Alejandro Segura at Marca.
Sport report that Messi’s presence at the club on Monday is a sure sign of his motivation to win the Champions League this season. Barcelona play in the quarter-finals of Europe’s top competition on Friday against Bayern Munich.
Messi received treatment on the injury after the win at the Camp Nou and on Sunday in the club’s recovery session. Manager Quique Setien said after the match that Messi has suffered a “fierce knock” but does not expect the injury to be a “big problem.”
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Messi Too Good For Napoli
Messi was once again Barcelona’s talisman in their victory over Napoli. The 33-year-old scored a fabulous goal, won a penalty from which Luis Suarez scored and was named man of the match.
🔵🔴 After inspiring Barcelona into last 8, Leo Messi = #UCLMOTM! 👏👏👏
👉 He’ll be one of four players in tonight’s vote where you crown Player of the Week 👑”
The win puts Barcelona into the last eight for the 13th consecutive season, but they face a tough challenge next time around against Bundesliga champions Bayern.
Bundesliga legend Lothar Matthaus has already warned the Catalan giants it would take a lot for Bayern Munich to lose the match and not progress to the last four of the competition.
“Of course Barcelona have the quality to be at their best in a game. But I think Bayern would have to make a lot of mistakes and do a lot of things badly to lose to this Barcelona. But, in a one-off game, things can happen. You do something bad and you’re out. You can correct these things in two-legged ties.”
Messi is Bayern’s ‘Nightmare’
Bayern may be favorites for the tie but will know they can not underestimate a Barcelona team containing Messi. The Argentine has tormented the German champions before in the Champions League.
Messi scored twice in a 4-0 first-leg win at the Camp Nou in 2009 and also netted a brace in a 3-0 win in 2015. The game is remembered for the way Messi took apart defender Jerome Boateng.
Edu Polo at Mundo Deportivo reports that “Messi is Bayern’s great concern and nightmare for next Friday’s duel” and adds the German team are “panicking” about facing the Barcelona captain.
Messi certainly won’t lack for motivation after seeing his side miss out on the league title and the Copa del Rey this season. It’s been a difficult campaign on and off the pitch so far for the Catalan giants but Messi’s brilliance could still allow them to finish on a high.
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Why Was Lionel Messi at Barcelona on His Day Off?