Champions League: Barca’s comeback hopes hinge on Messi fitness

Messi is the best player in the world, says Barcelona assistant manager.

MADRID: Barcelona admit any chance the Catalans have of overturning a 4-0 first-leg defeat to Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final return tonight depends very much on the fitness of Lionel Messi.

The World Player of the Year looked out of sorts in Munich last week as an energetic display from the hosts tore Barca to pieces, but Messi did come off the bench to score a wonderful individual goal and setup a second for Alexis Sanchez in Barca’s 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

And Barcelona assistant manager Jordi Roura believes Messi has started to find his feet again after being troubled by a hamstring injury for the past month.

“Messi is the best player in the world and obviously when you don’t have him you notice it. He makes the difference,” he said. “He will continue with his recuperation after the injury. He was very good in training and we hope that little by little he arrives at his best level. The fitter Leo is the more chances we will have against Bayern.”

Despite Messi not being at 100%, Barca’s principal problem in the first-leg was their defending and manager Tito Vilanova has even more problems at the back with Jordi Alba suspended for the clash.

However, Adriano does return from suspension and is expected to replace Alba.

I’ll select my best available team: Heynckes

Despite their comfortable lead, manager Jupp Heynckes has said he won’t rest any of his six first-team regulars that could miss the final should they be booked at the Camp Nou.

Captain Philip Lahm, Dante, Javi Martinez, Luis Gustavo, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gomez are all just one booking away from missing the showcase at Wembley should Bayern seal their passage into the final next month.

“I won’t be making any concessions,” Heynckes told the club’s website. “I’ll select my best available team. The players will have to show great discipline, which means: no gestures, no unnecessary fouls, and they mustn’t let themselves be provoked.

That’s the decisive factor.” And having once experienced losing a tie after winning the first-leg 5-1 when manager of Borussia Monchengladbach against Real Madrid in 1985, Heynckes is determined not to make the same mistake again.

“We need the same attitude, willingness to run and good tactics. Barcelona are still the best team in the world. We know they’re capable of stunning results at home, and they've overturned deficits in the past.

“Their pride has been wounded and they’ll give it everything they've got. We’ll need a top performance.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2013.