Messi delighted to hit the ground running after injury

Andy West 04:31 26/11/2015
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  • Hitting the mark: Lionel Messi with Luis Suarez.

    Lionel Messi is overjoyed to be back in action after ending his two month spell on the sidelines. The Barcelona ace made his comeback from a knee injury with a substitute appearance in Saturday’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid, before playing the full 90 minutes to mastermind another sensational team performance against Roma on Tuesday night.

    Messi scored twice and provided an assist for Gerard Pique in a thumping 6-1 victory which has guaranteed top seed status for the reigning champions in the Champions League knockout stages.

    And the Argentine admitted he was delighted to be strutting his stuff once more, saying: “I have enjoyed watching the team from the sidelines, but it’s always even better when you’re playing.

    “It’s been a long time and I have been really looking forward to playing and enjoying this feeling again. Getting back to fitness is a lot of hard work. I prepared well but training isn’t the same as 90 minutes on the pitch, and I’ll recover my rhythm with patience.”

    However, Messi believes that the team’s remarkable success during his absence offered a clear demonstration that they do not over-rely on him, an accusation which has been labelled ‘Messi-dependencia’ in Spain.

    “We never say that ourselves and in the last few weeks the team proved that it’s not true,” he said.

    The key to Barca’s success in recent weeks has been the outstanding form of Neymar and Suarez, and Messi is delighted to be re-united with his fellow South Americans.

    The rapport between the ‘trident’ was evident from the wide smiles on their faces as they celebrated each other’s goal, but Messi said the feeling of camaraderie extends beyond the superstar forward line, saying: “It’s not just the three of us – there is a great atmosphere in the whole team.

    “We try to be professional and to enjoy ourselves, and we all get on well day-to-day. That’s the most important thing, that we are united.”

    The willingness of the team to play for each other was demonstrated towards the end of Tuesday’s game, when Messi overlooked the fact he was on a hat-trick to allow Neymar, who had not scored, to take a penalty.

    Although the Brazilian missed, his saved attempt was converted on the rebound by Adriano, and Messi explained: “He’d taken four or five while I was injured and not missed any, so that is why he took it again.”

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