Lionel Messi will probably play against Villarreal in La Liga this week, because "there's no suitable scenario for resting" the Argentine superstar, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde said on Monday.
Barcelona are 10 points clear at the top of the Spanish League ahead of Tuesday's away game, followed by a home tie with second-place Atletico Madrid on Saturday and then Manchester United away in a Champions League quarterfinal next Wednesday.
"We attach great importance to this game," Valverde said of the Villarreal game before acknowledging that "many people have their sights on the Champions League and also the Atletico game."
"It does not escape me that our rivals are waiting for a slip to feed their hopes of catching us. We don't want give it any opportunities."