Lionel Messi starts for Barcelona against Athletic Club

OneFootball

Dan Burke·10 February 2019

Lionel Messi starts for Barcelona against Athletic Club

Lionel Messi has shaken off a knock in time to start when Barcelona travel to face Athletic Club in LaLiga on Sunday evening.

Messi was a doubt for the trip to San Mamés due to the thigh injury which meant he was forced to start last week’s Copa del Rey draw with Real Madrid on the bench.

OneFootball Videos

But Ousmane Dembélé – who has been suffering with a sprained ankle – has only been named among the substitutes.

Here are the two starting XIs in full …

🔴⚪ XI Athletic Club #AthleticClub #AthleticBarça #GoruntzBegira💪🦁
– Sunday, 10 February 2019

🔵🔴 Barça XI #AthleticBarça
– Sunday, 10 February 2019

A win for the Blaugrana will see them move eight points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table, whereas Athletic could leapfrog both Espanyol and Levante with three points.