With the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Manchester United on the horizon next week, a number of key players will be given the weekend off, while manager Ernesto Valverde will be forced into two switches because of suspension.Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique are both banned but would probably have been left out anyway.Meanwhile, Lionel Messi will be given more time to recover after he was left bloodied in a collision with United defender Chris Smalling last week.
Messi has been central to Barcelona’s success, scoring 43 goals across all competitions and proving the side’s talisman time and again.
“Barcelona owes its success to his evolution: a direct style of passing play based on possession.”Villa did admit that he did not have the chance to watch the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff, but having watched Messi in every game, the Spaniard believes the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is the best.“Obviously with the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff, I didn’t have the chance to watch them like I used to see Messi every day, in every game,” he added.
We will assess it after training but it’s a possibility.”Let’s not forget still need 10 points to be champions. We will make changes but always with aim of putting out a competitive team.Meanwhile, bottom side Huesca know defeat will all-but condemn them to relegation.It’s the best time to play Barca,” said manager Francisco.But they always have the obligation to win. The absence of injuries makes us more competitive.”