In La Liga’s third round, Barcelona suffered a surprising 1-2 home defeat to newly promoted Alavés. Yet after the match, Luis Enrique received some welcome news. According to Spanish daily Sport, Lionel Messi reported feeling fine after playing for half an hour, signaling that he has temporarily overcome his left adductor injury. This means Messi is set to return to Barcelona’s starting lineup, joining fellow first-choice players Luis Suárez, Andrés Iniesta, Sergi Roberto, Gerard Piqué, Samuel Umtiti, and Jordi Alba. Even Marc-André ter Stegen, who was initially expected to be sidelined for two weeks, is eager to make an early comeback for the upcoming Champions League clash. For Barça supporters, the prospect of a full-strength squad is as exciting as checking the Melbet App before a big night of football.
Defeats, as the saying goes, are part and parcel of the game, and losing to a newly promoted side is hardly the end of the world. Life off the pitch goes on, and Messi made sure it was a joyful one. The day after the Alavés loss, the Argentine star celebrated his younger son Mateo’s birthday with his family. On social media, a fresh family photo quickly made waves — Messi holding his elder son Thiago, who has already mastered posing for the camera with a charming smile, while Antonela cradled the birthday boy. Little Mateo, just one year old, wore a hilariously shocked expression, as if something had completely caught him off guard. The moment captured the warmth of Messi’s home life, a side of him that fans love as much as his dazzling dribbles on the pitch.
Messi’s bond with his roots also made headlines recently. Not long ago, he expressed his dream of retiring at Newell’s Old Boys, the club where he began his football journey. During yesterday’s match between Newell’s and Tigre, fans unfurled a banner at Newell’s home ground reading: “Messi, your dream is our dream. Newell’s will cheer for you, we are waiting for your return.” For the club’s faithful, who saw Messi leave for Barcelona’s youth academy at just 13, his absence remains a bittersweet chapter in their history.
Midweek, Barcelona will host Celtic in their opening Champions League match. Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo reports that the team will field its strongest possible lineup, determined to start the European campaign with a statement victory and wash away the disappointment of the league defeat. With Messi fit again and family joy fueling his spirit, Barça fans are hoping for a performance as satisfying as seeing the perfect scoreline pop up on the Melbet App.