Messi's return due in February (31 Dec 2006 12:31 GMT)
Lionel Messi, on crutches
FC Barcelona physical trainer Juanjo Brau will arrive in Argentina on January 2 to supervise Lionel Messi's training work. On that day Messi, who will stay in his home country the entire month, will begin the last stage of his recovery process. After getting off crutches, the player will start running on a treadmill. Ball exercises and muscular strengthening of the injured area will follow later on.
Messi is expected to fly back to Barcelona on February 3. The predictions are that he will be given the all-clear to return to the group training around the 10th of that month. The initial goal is to have him back on the pitch towards the end of February, bearing in mind that Barcelona will play the first game of their Champions League's round of sixteen tie against Liverpool on the 21st.
"We think that Leo Messi will be back to training in February," said Ramon Cugat, one of the club's doctors, "and it is possible that he will also be able to play again in that month."
source : lionelmessi.org