Lionel Messi uncertain as Barcelona play Athletic Bilbao in Super Cup closing

Image Source : GETTY IMAGES File photograph of Lionel Messi.
Barcelona’s all-time main scorer has been nursing an unspecified health difficulty that induced coach Ronald Koeman to depart him out of the semifinal on Wednesday towards Real Sociedad. Without Messi, Barcelona wanted some nice goalkeeping by Marc-Andre ter Stegen to achieve — and prevail in — a penalty shootout.
Messi has been coaching on his personal and his readiness is up within the air, Koeman stated on Saturday.
“(Messi) will have the last word, he knows his own body,” Koeman stated. “We hope that he can play the sport.
“With Leo, the team is stronger thanks to his ability to create and his effectiveness as a scorer, things that we are sometimes missing. (But) he must be 100%. This is not the last game of the season.”
Barcelona, nonetheless, has proven it could possibly win with out its star. While not a superb attacking efficiency, Barcelona did have certainly one of its finest collective matches within the semifinals to get previous an impressed Sociedad.
That gritty efficiency offers veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets cause to imagine the crew is discovering its stride after a shaky begin to its rebuild underneath Koeman.

“Saying that we have got this all figured out is a bit much, but we are on the right path,” Busquets stated.
“We are on a good run, feeling better as a group. (Winning the title) would be an important step, and I am convinced this team can continue to grow.”
Bilbao reached the ultimate to be performed in Seville after eliminating defending champion Real Madrid.
Forward Raul García scored twice to earn the Basque membership a 2-1 victory on Thursday.
The closing would be the third match in cost for Bilbao coach Marcelino García Toral. His debut final week was at residence towards Barcelona within the league. Messi scored twice to assist Barcelona get better from an early purpose by Iñaki Williams and safe a 3-2 victory.
“We should go into the match pondering that (Messi) will play and that he’ll play at his finest, and that it’s our job to cease him,” Marcelino stated.
“My gamers are revved up and able to conquer the world. To beat each Madrid and Barcelona to win this trophy could be the utmost.” Bilbao beat Barcelona within the Spanish Super Cup in 2015, when it was nonetheless a two-leg closing between the league and Copa del Rey winners.