Mission accomplished. Rumours are now rife regarding the possibility of Leo Messi featuring in the ‘Clásico’ to be played on 21st November and the issue is now sure to be the talk of the town right up to the ref’s starting whistle. Little reliable information will be leaked up until then.
Luis Enrique loves to play his cards close to his chest, the club’s medical team call for prudence and the press have been exchanging contradictory salvos for days on end regarding the Argentine superstar’s participation. Meanwhile, both the player and those around him assure that nothing is definite up until the final moments. Until then, we have a whole week to sit it out and chew the cud.
After more than a month with his knee in various degrees of being immobilised, Messi is now on the point of being declared match-fit. He could be seen taking part in field training this Monday at the Sant Joan Despí training grounds and there was general agreement that the lad was looking good. But is he looking good enough to take part?
His injury (to the medial collateral ligament) is one of the few to the knee that are typically recovered from in relatively little time. However, the timescales given for the success of the conservative treatment that is generally followed in these cases vary according to the severity of the sprain. Messi suffered a complete tear, meaning that he has had to stay away from the playing field for six weeks. If the injury and the inflammation had been less severe, he would have been able to get back to running just a month after the injury.
It looks like the forward might just about make it for the game against Real Madrid. Until the big day comes, however, all manner of expert predictions abound. Right up to the moment when Luis Enrique finally hands in his team sheet, it’s anybody’s bet.
Bron: Marca.com
