FC Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino revealed on Thursday that the club is hopeful about recovering Lionel Messi “at the beginning of January.” However, Martino remains uncertain about the exact return date, stating, “We hope he will be ready by the beginning of January, but the closer we get to that date, the more we will be able to say how much time he still needs.” Emphasizing Messi’s complete recovery over a specific return date, Martino highlighted the importance of ensuring the Argentine forward is fully healed. Messi has been sidelined since November 10 due to a tear in his left thigh, with his absence coinciding with two recent defeats for Barcelona against Ajax Amsterdam and Athletic Bilbao. Despite these setbacks, Barcelona currently leads La Liga, level on points with Atlético Madrid and three points ahead of Real Madrid.
