Messi to return as Barcelona take on Roma

LIONEL Messi is expected back for Wednesday’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Roma and for Barcelona his return cannot come soon enough.

Messi’s latest rescue-act on Saturday, when he came off the bench to inspire a remarkable fightback against Sevilla, has regurgitated the question of Barca’s dependency on their number 10.

It is difficult to quantify Messi’s brilliance. He would be missed by any team, not least Argentina, who were thrashed 6-1 by Spain last week with the injured forward watching on from the stands.

But for ErnestoValverde, there is urgency because if Messi is not at his best, perhaps feels his hamstring ache, or is somehow contained by Roma’s defence, his side must find another way through.

“We’re up against the very best in Messi,” Roma forward Stephan El Shaarawy said. “Every time he gets on the ball, he can make something happen. That’s why we’ll have to try to act and restrict his influence as much as possible.”

Messi has been left out of the starting line-up for five La Liga and Champions League games this year. Barca have won two and drawn three of them, the last, against Sevilla, about to be a defeat before he scored an 89th-minute equaliser.

In the Copa del Rey, Messi was rested for the last 16 first leg against Celta Vigo, a 1-1 draw, then played in the second, hitting two goals in a 5-0 win.

“No we are not worried about it,” Valverde said, when asked on Saturday about a possible over-reliance. “With or without Messi all the matches are different, it’s just how it is. What can we do?”

That Messi has a transformative effect is nothing new, but perhaps this Barcelona side is more reliant on their star striker than previous ones.

The defensive spine of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Sergio Busquets is strong, but in wide and attacking areas, only Luis Suarez would have a claim to making most Barcelona teams of the last 10 years.

Valverde’s strategy is more conservative too. He has made Barcelona more compact and harder to beat but in doing so, the expectation on Messi and Suarez to deliver has increased. Busquets is also key to that plan and Barca will be relieved to have him back after he trained on Monday following his recovery from a broken toe.