Barcelona forward Lionel Messi returned to training with his teammates on Monday following a knee injury, ahead of the league leaders’ trip to Real Madrid this weekend.
Messi has not featured for Barca since sustaining knee-ligament damage in a 2-1 victory over Las Palmas at the end of September, but he is in line to make his comeback on Saturday in the first clasico of the season at the Bernabue.
Barca’s website reported that the Monday session “included the presence of Leo Messi, who is in the process of recovering from a left-knee injury suffered on September 26”.
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Barca have performed well in the absence of the four-time Ballon d’Or winner, with four straight league victories propelling Luis Enrique’s men to the top of the Primera Liga, three points ahead of Madrid.
Neymar and Luis Suarez have scored 10 goals apiece since the Argentine was sidelined, and the duo could again lead the line at the weekend with Spanish media suggesting that Barca may not rush Messi back into the starting line-up as a precaution.
Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic also returned to training. He injured his calf in a 3-0 Uefa Champions League group-stage victory over Bate Borisov at the start of the month.
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