Messi back to training

Lionel Messi was back in training on Thursday as the Barcelona striker attempts to rid himself of a hamstring injury before the Champions League semi-final first leg at Bayern Munich on 23 April.

"The big novelty of this training session was Leo Messi," Barça said in a statement on their website, fcbarcelona.es.

The Argentinian world player of the year damaged the muscle during Barça's quarter-final first leg at Paris Saint-Germain on 3 April.

He sat out their 5-0 La Liga victory at home to Real Mallorca four days later but came on for the final half an hour at the Nou Camp last Wednesday to help a nervous Barça squeeze past PSG into the last four on away goals.

The midfielder Sergio Busquets, who has a minor groin problem, completed some work with the rest of his team-mates on Thursday after missing Wednesday's session.

The La Liga leaders are chasing a third European crown in five years and play their semi-final second leg at home to the German champions Bayern on 1 May.


/The Guardian/