SPAIN: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Lionel Messi is close to returning to his deadly form, says Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino as he prepares the league leaders to face Elche

Record ID: 567052

  • Title: SPAIN: SOCCER/FOOTBALL: Lionel Messi is close to returning to his deadly form, says Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino as he prepares the league leaders to face Elche
  • Date: 4th January 2014
  • Summary: BARCEONA, SPAIN (JANUARY 04, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BARCELONA PLAYERS GATHERED AT TRAINING CAMERAMAN PLAYERS TRAINING BARCELONA COACH GERARDO MARTINO AT TRAINING PLAYERS TRAINING VARIOUS OF GOALKEEPER VICTOR VALDES TRAINING PLAYERS TRAINING MARTINO AT NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHERS JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH GERARDO MARTINO, SAYING: "I am very pleased with his progress. He is physically strong and is showing the killer look he had before. If he continues like this and maintains the confidence - don't forget he has had a serious injury - then Leo will return to be the player that everyone remembers." JOURNALIST WRITING JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH GERARDO MARTINO, SAYING: "We don't sense any kind of fear from him as he has been very calm in the training sessions, but it is true that the head always plays a big part and he might need to free himself from the thought of getting injured again." JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH GERARDO MARTINO, SAYING: "For a coach abundance can never be a problem. You need to know how to administrate it and players need to understand the importance each one of them has. We need to understand we can only put 11 players on the pitch. But we also need to understand that we can lose La Liga against Elche or against Atletico. Every match is important and we need them all to be ok as they are now." PHOTOGRAPHER EDITING MARTINO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 19th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9E7E889YII3FFRNKHN4M4TFUA
  • Story Text: Lionel Messi is showing the deadly sharpness in training that suggest he will be soon be back to his best according to Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino, although he will not be ready to return for Sunday's clash with Elche (January 05).
    The Argentine has had three training sessions in Barcelona since returning from his recovery programme in Buenos Aires and Rosario, and scored a hat-trick in a practice game on Friday (January 03).

    "I am very pleased with his progress. He is physically strong and is showing the killer look he had before. If he continues like this and maintains the confidence - don't forget he has had a serious injury - then Leo will return to be the player that everyone remembers," Martino told a news conference.
    Messi has suffered a series of hamstring strains since the back-end of last season, and has been missing since mid-November with this injury.
    But Martino said the 26 year old star was not fearing any relapse.

    "We don't sense any kind of fear from him as he has been very calm in the training sessions, but it is true that the head always plays a big part and he might need to free himself from the tought of getting injured again," he stated.
    Barca suffered a spate of injuries in the run up to Christmas but the treatment room is now clearing with goalkeeper Victor Valdes also ready to return for the first game of the New Year.
    Martino admitted he was happy to have all his team back but was cautious as they face Atletico, who are hot on the heels of the leader with only goal difference, in a weeks time, on January 11.

    "For a coach abundance can never be a problem. You need to know how to administrate it. And players need to understand the importance each one of them has. We need to understand we can only put 11 players on the pitch. But we also need to understand that we can lose La Liga against Elche or against Atletico. Every match is important and we need them all to be ok as they are now," he said.
    Barca are level on 46 points with Atletico Madrid who face Malaga on Saturday while Real Madrid are five points adrift and are in action against Celta Vigo on Monday.
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