Messi returns to Barca training

Lionel Messi returned to training at Barcelona on Friday after sitting out Thursday’s session for “personal reasons”.

Concerns were raised over a potential hamstring injury for the Argentina captain after he was seen clutching the back of his leg during Barca’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.

But the 28-year-old was shown on a Vine on Barcelona’s official Twitter account walking on to the training pitch alongside team-mate Luis Suarez.

Should Messi prove to be injury-free it would be a huge fillip for coach Luis Enrique ahead of Barca’s clash with Deportivo La Coruna at Camp Nou on Saturday.

The European champions then fly out to Japan for the Club World Cup with Barca scheduled to play either Club America or Guangzhou Evergrande in Thursday’s semi-final.