Ever since Lionel Messi came down with a knee injury against Las Palmas back in September, fans hoped for a speedy recovery in order to have him available to play against Real Madrid. Today, the Argentinean trained with Barcelona as part of his recovery process, but some still doubt he will be able to play against Los Blancos on November 21.
Homero de Agostino, chief doctor for the Argentinean Football Association, revealed he warned Barcelona's physicians about a possible relapse if Messi came back to play during a stressful match facing Real Madrid. The doctor added it would have been a good idea for Messi to play a match prior to the big game, so there could be a good idea of how his knee responded to the treatment.
"A coach can’t rely on a player who has just recovered to play in a showdown like the Clasico. Messi may make progress in working with the ball but never to play a Clasico within the next 15 days. He may reach it, but he’ll also need to meet the conditions for a match of that level. The risk of a relapse if Messi plays the Clasico is high," de Agostino stated.
Messi hasn't played a competitive match since September 26.
Messi has been clear about what his short-term goal is: playing El Clásico. While some sources indicate he was "infuriated" by reports that ruled out his presence in the Spanish showdown, the final say in the matter will fall on Luis Enrique's lap, who could also decide to use him as a sub.
Nevertheless, the Argentinean doctor refused to believe Messi should be considered to play a game like El Clásico, considering how he could be treated by Real Madrid's defenders.
"I consider it to be a poor choice. Having him play a game such as that one would put him at risk of receiving at least 150 knocks during the game. I don't think Messi will reach El Clásico," the doctor concluded.
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