Barcelona star Lionel Messi set to miss Argentina friendly with Spain after skipping training on Saturday

 

Lionel Messi training with Argentina before Italy clash. [Photo: Courtesy]

Lionel Messi is set to miss Argentina's friendly with Spain.

Barcelona star Messi has been struggling for fitness since linking up with his international side before sitting as an unused substitute during Friday's clash with Italy at the Etihad Stadium.

Messi was a listed on the bench, but there was "zero chance" he would play, according to Argentina officials.

Messi has played 47 times for club and country since the beginning of the season with nine La Liga, a Copa del Rey final, potentially five more Champions League fixtures before a World Cup campaign.

The forward has been complaining of discomfort in his hamstring and adductor in his right leg which has been attributed to fatigue from his gruelling season.

Instead of going through the paces with his compatriots, Messi stayed in the hotel gym on Saturday, but did appear on Sunday and went through his paces with the rest of the squad.

But he is now likely to skip Argentina's friendly with 2014 World Cup winners Spain on Tuesday at Atletico Madrid's home the Metropolitan Wanda.

"I always feel like playing but there is a long way to the World Cup," Messi said after missing the 2-0 victory over Italy.

Lionel Messi has been on tremendous run of form for Barcelona in recent times, helping them to top the league and dislodge their rivals Real Madrid from the title race.

Messi helped Barcelona beat Chelsea in the Champions League round 16, where he scored three goals and set up Ousmane Dembele in a 4-1 win on aggregate.

Besides that, he was the deciding factor in crucial 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid which sent them 8 points clear at the summit of the table.

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will surely hate any prospect of losing Messi to injury at this time, with title hunt and Champions League getting to homestretch.