Copa del Rey Messi Returns For Barca

Barcelona is set to welcome back Lionel Messi as they look to keep their Copa del Rey hopes alive against Athletic Bilbao today.

Messi missed Sunday`s 2-1 league win over Levante after being given extra time off by Pep Guardiola, but he returned to training yesterday and could be a timely reinforcement for the trip to San Mames, where Barça will be hoping to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Barça face a tough test having been held to a goalless draw at home in the first leg, but they can take some cheer from Athletic`s 2-1 home defeat to Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend – a result which brought to an end the Basque club’s six-match winning streak at home.

Nevertheless, Barça midfielder Sergio Busquets admits his side cannot afford to take Athletic lightly. “There’s no margin of error in this game,” the Spain international said. “We are going to a ground where they live and breathe football and the fans will be behind their team for the whole 90 minutes. I hope that Bilbao aren’t as defensive as they were at the Nou Camp.

“It’s a key game for us to be able to continue playing every three days or so, which suits us. Last year, when we went out to Sevilla, the weeks seemed much longer. We are used to playing every three or four days and it helps us maintain the dynamic of our season.”

The match pits the two most successful sides in Copa del Rey history against each other – Barça having 25 crowns to Athletic’s 23 – and is also a repeat of the 2009 final which the Catalan side won 4-1.