Messi withdraws from Barcelona weekend squad ahead of crucial Chelsea showdown

Lionel Messi will be missing from the Barcelona match day squad for the first time in LaLiga this season when the league leaders travel to Malaga.

The Argentine has withdrawn from the travelling party for personal reasons and will play no part in a game in Spain’s top-flight have started all but one league game for the blaugrana this season, coming off the bench in the other.

The news comes as a significant boost for LaLiga’s bottom club, who are eight points adrift of safety ahead of tonight’s game and for whom draws won’t do at this stage.

The hosts would have been hoping that Messi, along with a few other first team regulars, may be rested with Barca’s Champions League second leg with Chelsea in mind next Wednesday and it remains to be seen whether this news will have affected Ernesto Valverde’s plans.

With an eight-point gap at the top to Atletico, the visitors could extend that to 11 as their closest rivals don’t play until Sunday but they will have to do so without their talisman, while captain Andres Iniesta is also sidelined.

Paco Alcocer may be in line for a rare start, while Thomas Vermaelen will hope to feature having done so ahead of the trip to London last month and Paulinho will compete with Ousmane Dembele for a place on the wing.