LIONEL MESSI will be fit for Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final second leg with Manchester United despite taking a blow from Chris Smalling.
Messi was left bloodied and bruised after the United defender clattered into him during the first leg at Old Trafford.
That was after the Argentinian had set up Luis Suarez to head in, via a deflection off Luke Shaw, as Barcelona earned a crucial 1-0 lead to take back to the Nou Camp.
But the blow left Messi looking out of sorts, and he failed to have his usual impact for the rest of the game.
Messi was left out as Barcelona faced Huesca in La Liga on Saturday, with a number of other stars rested.
But Barca boss Ernesto Valverde has revealed Messi has recovered from his clash with Smalling.
“I spoke to him and he is fine, but it was a hard knock,” Valverde said.
“He wasn’t feeling good the day after nor during the rest of the match.
“It was like a truck had run over him.”
Manchester United ace Smalling caught Messi in the face with an arm as the two challenged for an aerial ball.
And the duo spoke after the game, with no hard feelings between the pair.
“Yeah, we spoke after,” Smalling said. “I didn’t realize at the time actually that I caught him like that.
“But, after the game we just had a brief chat, shook and hands and he said ‘yeah, it was an accident’.
“[I spoke to] Suarez after as well. We had a good tussle and he just shook my hand after and we said good luck.
“It’s nice when you can have that battle on the pitch and then there’s full respect after the game.
We started sloppy and a bit nervous. After their goal we settled and played well.
"We had very good individual performances in midfield. At times it felt like a proper United team - the crowd were behind us, we got out wide and got crosses in.
"We didn't start great, but it was a great goal and movement from Messi and Suarez but they're fortunate it comes off Luke Shaw.
“It's a blow but we settled well. We're still in this tie."
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