Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde will make a late decision on whether to include Lionel Messi for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund.
The Argentinian star is yet to make an appearance this season having suffered a calf injury in August but travelled to Germany with his team-mates.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Valverde said: “We’ll decide tomorrow whether Messi is going to play. We weren’t sure a week ago, but there’s been a lot of progress.”
Valverde is considering starting Luis Suarez after he returned from his own injury problems with two goals as a substitute against Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday.
He must also decide whether to hand another start to 16-year-old wonderkid Ansu Fati, who could become the Champions League’s youngest ever goal scorer.
Fati became Barcelona’s youngest scorer when he netted against Osasuna prior to the international break and he followed up with a goal and an assist on his full debut against Valencia.
Valverde said: “We’re thrilled with Ansu Fati, but we all have to take care of him. If he plays tomorrow, it won’t be to break records, but rather because the team needs him.”
The clash will be the first in the Champions League between Dortmund and Barcelona, whose only previous meetings came in the UEFA Super Cup in 1997.
Midfielder Marco Reus said he would be “very happy” if Messi played, telling a press conference reported by uefa.com: “He is the best player in the world.”
Reus added: “We’re facing a difficult match tomorrow. We need to be switched on. We have to make our mark going forward, find ways to create chances and, of course, score goals.”
Dortmund have their own doubt over defender Lukasz Piszczek, while Nico Schulz is definitely out.
Manager Lucien Favre said: “We’re obviously excited to be playing against Barcelona. In 1991, I spent two weeks shadowing Johan Cruyff. That definitely inspired me.
“We have to be fully on our game for 95 minutes. We need to be focused and play with courage going forward. We need to be prepared for all eventualities and be present in the moment.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here