Messi may be rested against Celta Vigo, says Valverde

madrid — Lionel Messi could be among a number of key players rested from Barcelona’s game against Celta Vigo on Tuesday, according to coach Ernesto Valverde.

Barca broke the record for the longest unbeaten streak in La Liga on Saturday when they beat Valencia to make it 39 league games without defeat.

But, with an 11 point lead at the top of the table and the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla to come on Saturday, Valverde is ready to rotate for the trip to Galicia to face ninth-placed Celta. “Resting Messi is a possibility like any other, but I think he is playing well, the other day he played a good game,” Valverde said on Monday.

“We will make changes to the team in Vigo, I think it’s an important week and that the team needs the rest.”

Messi has only recently recovered from a knock to his knee while Sergio Busquets has been playing through the pain of a broken toe.

Ivan Rakitic suffered a broken finger last week and may also miss out. The coach has not rotated much, with key players selected in all the big games if fit, perhaps contributing to their Champions League quarterfinal downfall in Rome, where they lost a three goal first leg lead to be eliminated on away goals by AS Roma.

Messi and Gerard Pique have been carrying knocks, while Sergio Busquets was rushed back from a fractured toe.

Barcelona are 11 points clear of Atletico Madrid in the league with six games remaining and the temptation for many coaches would be to play fringe players against Celta to give the big names a break for the cup final.

However, Valverde said the crushing 3-0 defeat by Roma led to him picking a strong team to surpass Real Sociedad’s record of 38 games unbeaten, set in 1980, against Valencia. — AFP/Reuters