Barça prepare for Celta Vigo as Real welcome Granada
Lionel Messi said he hoped to be back to full fitness "soon" ahead of Barcelona's Spanish La Liga trip to Celta Vigo on Sunday evening. The 27-year-old forward sat out Argentina's two friendly wins over the past week - against El Salvador in Washington and Ecuador in New Jersey - after picking up a foot injury two weeks ago in a UEFA Champions League game against Manchester City.
His participation in this weekend's game against mid-table Celta at the Estadio de Balaidos remains in doubt, but he trained with the group on Friday morning and aims to be available for selection in the near future.
"Back in Barcelona," he posted on Facebook on Thursday evening. "The Tour in US was sweet and sour for me. We got 2 wins with a great job from everyone, but I couldn't play because of my swollen foot. It still hurts a bit, but I hope to recover soon so I can help the National team and FC Barcelona."
Messi and Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano trained with the rest of the Barça squad on Friday morning, having jogged and stretched alone on Thursday. Barça head into the weekend four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, but could see that gap cut to one point by the time they kick off in Vigo as Carlo Ancelotti's European champions host second-bottom Granada earlier on Sunday.
Midfielder James Rodriguez looks set to return to the Real starting XI for the first time since February, having undergone surgery on his broken foot. Ancelotti will be without defender Pepe, though, due to a thigh injury picked up in the Clasico defeat at Barcelona just before the international break.
Also on Sunday, third plays sixth when Valencia welcome Villarreal to the Mestalla - a match Los Che captain Dani Parejo expects will be an intense affair. He told the club's official website: "It's a derby. Two teams who are fighting for practically the same objectives.
"They aren't in good form (won one of last four league games) and need to win. I think it's going to be a good game; two teams who like to play good football and have a lot of intensity. We're playing at home and we are very strong."
Villarreal went down 2-0 at home to Sevilla in their last outing - a result which lifted Unai Emery's side four points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. The Andalusians take on eighth-placed Athletic Bilbao at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Atletico visit basement boys Cordoba, with coach Diego Simeone warning his team must do their talking on the pitch. "We are very aware that we play with the shirt of Atletico Madrid," the Argentinian said at his pre-match press conference, quoted on Atleti's official website.
"There are ten finals ahead of us in the league and there is one (on Saturday) that we need to play as such. Words matter little at this stage of the season."
In other games on Saturday, Almeria host Levante in a battle between two of the bottom four and Real Sociedad travel to seventh-placed Malaga, while on Sunday Deportivo La Coruna visit Getafe. The weekend's action kicks off on Friday night when Eibar host Rayo Vallecano, and concludes on Monday evening with Elche's trip to Barcelona to face Espanyol.