Lionel Messi has been passed fit for Barcelona’s “most important” UEFA Champions League group game away to Celtic, with Gerard Pique also a chance of playing.
The Catalans only squeezed past the Scottish giants 2-1 in the last matchday thanks to a late Jordi Alba winner but can clinch a place in the knockout stages with a win at Celtic Park.
Messi, who was injured in the weekend’s game against Celta Vigo, is fit while Pique could be ready to return after injury according to boss Tito Vilanova.
“Pique is an option and he has a chance of playing. He’s been training well but it’s a risk to play him,” he said.
“He hasn’t played in a long while and tall players take longer to recover. Although he’s been training well in recent weeks, it’s hard to say when he’ll be 100 per cent.
“It’s important to get players back, even more so central defenders, so it’ll be good when we have Pique and [Carles] Puyol again.”
Vilanova also reiterated the importance of the game.
“This is our most important game in the group stage because we need to win it to qualify, regardless of the result in the other match,” he said. “We’ll be able to rest players once we have qualified.”