Messi to make first start of 2019-20 against Villarreal

Lionel Messi will make his first start of the 2019-20 season after being named in Barcelona s team to face Villarreal.

A calf injury kept Messi out of action in the early weeks of the campaign, though he came off the bench against Granada on Saturday.

Barca lost that match 2-0 and have made their worst start to a LaLiga season for 25 years as a result, taking seven points from five games.

Under pressure coach Ernesto Valverde has responded by thrusting Messi into his starting line-up, the captain replacing Carles Perez in Barca s front three.

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— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_cat)

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