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What Barcelona Are Planning To Do With Lionel Messi So He Hits Top Form At The Right Time

What Barcelona Are Planning To Do With Lionel Messi So He Hits Top Form At The Right Time

The Argentina international is on scintillating form this season.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Barcelona have an intriguing plan for Lionel Messi, this season.

Lionel Messi has already produced heroics thus far for Barcelona. He's weighed in with a stunning 25 goals across all competitions, including 18 in La Liga.

Next up for Barcelona; Sevilla in the Copa del Rey. The league leaders travel to Seville for the first-leg of their quarter-final tie and will do without Messi's luxurious services.

Ernesto Valverde has left out the 31-year-old from the squad ahead of Barcelona's crucial cup fixture.

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

It appears Ernesto Valverde will continue to leave out of his influential No.10 from time-to-time to ensure he hits top form at the right time through out the grueling campaign.

Spanish outlet Marca claim Messi will be used in 'small doses'.

They continue to add: "Starting from the basis that, like any footballer, Messi wants to play every minute of every match, Valverde has helped the Argentine to understand that it is importance that his minutes are controlled so that he arrives into the key part of the season as fresh as possible."

He's not the only player receiving this treatment. Fellow strike partner Luis Suarez and midfielder Sergio Busquets are also being managed this way, too.

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

Whilst Barcelona are gunning on all fronts, they're naturally eyeing up success in the Champions League and hoping to lure the title away from fierce rivals Real Madrid who have won it an impressive three times on the bounce.

The Catalan giants face Lyon in the next round of the Champions League.

Barcelona, meanwhile, take on Sevilla tonight before resuming their league campaign on the weekend against Girona.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, Football, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Champions League, Argentina, Spain, Ernesto Valverde, La Liga

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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