Barca hoping for Messi recovery by Sunday

Messi missed Argentina’s friendlies against Ecuador and El Salvador this week with a swollen foot, an injury sustained in the 2-1 Clasico defeat of Real Madrid two weeks ago.

DPA/MadridTable-topping Barcelona are hoping that Liga top-scorer Lionel Messi will be fit for Sunday’s visit to midtable Celta Vigo.  Messi missed Argentina’s friendlies against Ecuador and El Salvador this week with a swollen foot, an injury sustained in the 2-1 Clasico defeat of Real Madrid two weeks ago. “Messi has had a hard time putting his boot on this week, and he has been unable to play. His foot hurts a lot,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino, who was in charge at Barca last season, said. Barca defender Gerard Pique is confident that Messi will be fit, saying: “I’m optimistic. I’ve spoken to him and I think he’ll be able to play in Vigo. He knows how important he is to the team.” Pique added that April was going to be an important month. “We won’t win any trophies this month, but we could lose them. It is going to be a very intensive month for us.” Celta, who are ninth, surprisingly beat Barca 1-0 at the Camp Nou in November. “We have beaten them once already this season, so why can’t we do so again?” asked Celta defender Andreu Fontas. “This is not a bad time for us to play them again, after the international matches.” Fontas is one of several players who had settled in well at Celta after failing to make the grade at Barca. Barca are four points above Real, who will host lowly Granada earlier on Sunday. Los Merengues will be hoping that Pepe and Gareth Bale can overcome knocks picked up on international duty for Portugal and Wales. However, James Rodriguez is now fit again after a lengthy lay-off. Sunday will also see third-placed Valencia at home to local rivals Villarreal, who are sixth. Valencia have dropped just two points in their last seven matches, which is the best form in La Liga. “We are really determined to finish at least in third place,” said Valencia midfielder Javi Fuego. “We have run into good form at exactly the right time of the season, and want to continue picking up the points ... Villarreal are always difficult opponents, but we are very confident about our possibilities at the moment.” Valencia are one point ahead of Atletico Madrid, who will visit bottom team Cordoba Saturday. Meanwhile, fifth-placed Sevilla will host Atletic Bilbao. The weekend’s other games are Rayo Vallecano v Eibar, Espanyol v Elche, Getafe v Deportivo Coruna, Almeria v Levante and Malaga v Real Sociedad.  

WHO’S PLACED WHERE IN SPAINLa Liga Leaders Barcelona have a four-point advantage over second-placed Real Madrid with 10 games left and are well placed to secure their fifth La Liga title in seven years. Luis Enrique’s side have what looks on paper to be a slightly trickier run-in, with trips to champions Atletico Madrid, who are fourth, and fifth-placed Sevilla and a home game against third-placed Valencia.  Real, who have a superior head-to-head record over Barca which is used before goal difference to separate teams with equal points, also have to play at Sevilla and host Valencia. Champions League Barca and Real are almost certain to claim Spain’s first two automatic berths in Europe’s elite club competition and Valencia and Atletico Madrid look set to battle it out for the third. The pair are currently separated by a point, while Valencia have a superior head-to-head record after beating Atletico 3-1 at home and drawing 1-1 at the Calderon. Sevilla are four points adrift of Atletico in fifth, while Villarreal are a further six points behind in sixth and their chances of Champions League football next season appear remote. Europa League If Sevilla miss out on a Champions League spot, they can at least console themselves with a place in the Europa League, the competition they won last season and in which they remain alive this term. Villarreal have a five-point lead over seventh-placed Malaga and are in a strong position to claim the second Europa League berth. Malaga are five points clear of Athletic Bilbao in eighth. Relegation Five points adrift at the bottom and on a nine-match losing streak, Cordoba are almost certainly doomed. The usual scrap among the teams in the second half of the table to avoid the drop will likely involve all the sides below 12th-placed Espanyol, who have 34 points. Only six points separate Getafe on 29 points in 13th and Granada on 23 points in 19th, with Eibar, Elche, Deportivo La Coruna, Almeria and Levante in between. King’s Cup With Barca almost certain to qualify for the Champions League, their rivals in the King’s Cup final, Athletic Bilbao, are virtually assured of a Europa League place regardless of who wins the showpiece at the Nou Camp on May 30. Barca are chasing a record-extending 27th Cup triumph, while Bilbao are seeking their 24th and first since 1984. Promotion Real Betis and Sporting Gijon are first and second in the Liga Adelante and best placed to claim the two automatic promotion spots. Las Palmas, Girona, Real Valladolid and Real Zaragoza are currently in line for a place in the playoffs, with the likes of Ponferradina, Llagostera, Leganes, Numancia, Alaves, Alcorcon and Lugo close behind.