10 - Lionel Messi - V6

[soul24rage]

"There are a maximum of 16 games left in all competitions and he is not going to play all of them."

This is how I would manage his minutes, in best case scenario (matches in bold). Like this he plays once a week max, all the possible CL matches and the CdR final. Enough time to maintain his sharpness, but not overburden him. I wouldn't play him this weekend vs Espanyol.

1. Saturday 30th March - Espanyol (H)
2. Tuesday 2nd April - Villarreal (A)
3. Saturday 6th April - Atlético Madrid (H)
4. Wednesday 10th April - Manchester United (A)
5. Saturday 13th April - SD Huesca (A)
6. Tuesday 16th April - Manchester United (H)
7. Saturday 20th April - Real Sociedad (H)
8. Tuesday 23rd April - Alaves (A)
9. Sunday 28th April - Levante (H)
10. Tuesday 30th April - Liverpool
11. Sunday 5th May - Celta Vigo (A)
12. Tuesday 7th May - Liverpool
13. Sunday 12th May - Getafe (H)
14. Sunday 19th May - Eibar (A)
15. Saturday 25th May - Valencia
16. Saturday 1st June - Manchester City

I would also only play him in the bolded matches that you mentioned. We have a 10 point lead and a good squad, lets use it. I wouldnt want the possibility of Messi, who's having discomfort, playing against ATM, who will be physical, right before our CL match.

 

[Vilarrubi]

"There are a maximum of 16 games left in all competitions and he is not going to play all of them."

This is how I would manage his minutes, in best case scenario (matches in bold). Like this he plays once a week max, all the possible CL matches and the CdR final. Enough time to maintain his sharpness, but not overburden him. I wouldn't play him this weekend vs Espanyol.

1. Saturday 30th March - Espanyol (H)
2. Tuesday 2nd April - Villarreal (A)
3. Saturday 6th April - Atlético Madrid (H)
4. Wednesday 10th April - Manchester United (A)
5. Saturday 13th April - SD Huesca (A)
6. Tuesday 16th April - Manchester United (H)
7. Saturday 20th April - Real Sociedad (H)
8. Tuesday 23rd April - Alaves (A)
9. Sunday 28th April - Levante (H)
10. Tuesday 30th April - Liverpool
11. Sunday 5th May - Celta Vigo (A)
12. Tuesday 7th May - Liverpool
13. Sunday 12th May - Getafe (H)
14. Sunday 19th May - Eibar (A)
15. Saturday 25th May - Valencia
16. Saturday 1st June - Manchester City

Inb4 full 90 against Espanyol, Villarreal and Atleti.

 

[FCB1987]

"There are a maximum of 16 games left in all competitions and he is not going to play all of them."

This is how I would manage his minutes, in best case scenario (matches in bold). Like this he plays once a week max, all the possible CL matches and the CdR final. Enough time to maintain his sharpness, but not overburden him. I wouldn't play him this weekend vs Espanyol.

1. Saturday 30th March - Espanyol (H)
2. Tuesday 2nd April - Villarreal (A)
3. Saturday 6th April - Atlético Madrid (H)
4. Wednesday 10th April - Manchester United (A)
5. Saturday 13th April - SD Huesca (A)
6. Tuesday 16th April - Manchester United (H)
7. Saturday 20th April - Real Sociedad (H)
8. Tuesday 23rd April - Alaves (A)
9. Sunday 28th April - Levante (H)
10. Tuesday 30th April - Liverpool
11. Sunday 5th May - Celta Vigo (A)
12. Tuesday 7th May - Liverpool
13. Sunday 12th May - Getafe (H)
14. Sunday 19th May - Eibar (A)
15. Saturday 25th May - Valencia
16. Saturday 1st June - Manchester City

I would actually do the opposite and play him in more of the home matches and have him not travel on most of the away trips.

Espanyol - Start
Villareal - Rest
Atletico - Start
United - Start
Huesca - Rest
Sociedad - Start
Alaves - Rest
Levante - Rest
CL Semi - Start
Celta - Rest
CL semi - Start

 

[serghei]

I would actually do the opposite and play him in more of the home matches and have him not travel on most of the away trips.

Espanyol - Start
Villareal - Rest
Atletico - Start
United - Start
Huesca - Rest
Sociedad - Start
Alaves - Rest
Levante - Rest
CL Semi - Start
Celta - Rest
CL semi - Start

I'd rest him vs Atletico too if Atletico don't win vs Alaves on Saturnday. Wouldn't risk anything vs a team who often play dirty like AM with a 12 pts gap in our hands.

We should consider not playing him as it is. The gap is pretty big.

 

[Hardy]

he shouldn't play anyway against Atletico.

 

[Messigician]

Luis Pigo said that Sergio Ramos deserves the Ballon D'or. That has to be a wind up...

 

[raskolnikov]

Luis Pigo said that Sergio Ramos deserves the Ballon D'or. That has to be a wind up...

Who cares what that rat thinks anyway.

 

[Havesaks]

btw - i hope that the ballon d'or changes in future, so that a player can only win it ones in their career. it should be a tribute to the finest players in the era and be given to the one who majority think had an outstanding season (year). football is a team sport after all, and we don't know for certain who is best (messi probably tho), and shift focus to team performance.

 

[Arizona Scott]

he shouldn't play anyway against Atletico.

I'm with you guys. Unless the gap is smaller I wouldn't mess with having Messi, Suarez, Dembele, Alba or Pique in this match at all. I doubt EV or any other Barca coach will/would have treated it that way however.

 

[CatalinR10]

Good news for Messi as Higuain retired from NT.

 

[Messigician]

Who cares what that rat thinks anyway.

True

 

[Horatio]

Messi saw Ronaldo getting out ,,injured " and knows what his plan is and wants to counter it.

Not only that Ronaldo will score against Ajax ,,injured " , Messi will score vs Manchester ,,injured" aswell , to make Ronaldo not get all the praise in the press.

It's chess on another level.

FFS.

Messi should start in a wheelchair. Then once we are behind he gets up for an ‘amazing recovery and turnabout of events’ then put the game to bed in epic fashion. That should get the media going.

 

[Andresito]

If we'd have Dembélé fit I'm sure he would've rested more with Coutinho, Suárez, Dembouz in attack.

Even though he should, I doubt Valverde is going to start Coutinho, Suárez, Malcom at this moment.

 

[Marchisio8]

Good news for Messi as Higuain retired from NT.

Always blame it on someone else

Who is the next scapegoat, Dybala, Icardi or Martinez?

 

[MagIX]

Always blame it on someone else

Who is the next scapegoat, Dybala, Icardi or Martinez?

What do you mean, blame someone else for what ? scapegoat for what ?