Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez set to return against Malaga

Andy West 06:45 23/01/2016
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  • Returning: Lionel Messi.

    Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are set to bolster Barcelona’s strike force by returning to action for Saturday night’s testing trip to Malaga. Both players missed the midweek Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg at Athletic Bilbao, with Suarez suspended while Messi was rested after feeling discomfort in his thigh.

    Barca managed to win the game without the duo thanks to goals from Munir El Haddadi and Neymar, but manager Luis Enrique confirmed they both are in line to appear this evening at La Rosaleda.

    “Messi has trained, and in principle there should be no problem for him and Jeremy Mathieu [who has been suffering from a calf injury] to be included in the squad,” stated Enrique.

    The Barca boss also admitted he wasn’t entirely unhappy to see Suarez banned from Wednesday’s cup clash, saying: “It’s difficult to give him any rest because of his hunger to play. “But every cloud has a silver lining and we took advantage of the suspension to give a bit of a break to a vital player.”

    However, a statement released on Friday night by the club revealed that Neymar has been left out of today’s squad after feeling muscle pain in his left leg, although scans have ruled out concerns of an injury.

    Enrique is expecting a tough contest against a Malaga who have been notably difficult opponents for Barca in recent times, with a hardfought 1-0 home win earlier this season following a goalless draw and a 1-0 defeat at the Nou Camp in the previous campaign.

    Furthermore, Javi Gracia’s team have been in good form in recent weeks, recovering from a disastrous autumn which saw them sink into the relegation zone by losing only one of their last eight outings. The Andalusian team’s success has been built around an outstanding defensive record, which has seen them concede just 17 goals in their 20 league games so far this season – a figure bettered only by three teams.

    Their preparations for the game have been dealt a blow by the departure of star winger Nordin Amrabat, who has joined Watford in the English Premier League. But Enrique doesn’t necessarily believe that will make Barca’s task any easier, noting: “He was their best and most decisive player and his loss is important.

    “But I don’t think Malaga will change the way they play just because Amrabat isn’t there. Their style of play doesn’t depend on one player.”

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