Barcelona hoping Lionel Messi will be in squad for clásico against Real Madrid

Lionel Messi could be a potent weapon to introduce from the bench should Barcelona be struggling against Real Madrid. Photograph: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Barcelona are hopeful that Lionel Messi will be fit enough to be included in the squad for the coming clásico against Real Madrid.

According to AS, the Argentinian talisman is not expected to start the game but the coach Luis Enrique will be looking to introduce him from the bench as he didagainst Atlético Madrid in September when Barcelona were drawing 1-1 but went on to win 2-1 through Messi’s late winner.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi out for up to eight weeks with knee injury

The striker suffered knee ligament damage against Las Palmas on 28 September and has not played since although he is said to be running and kicking a ball again in training.

In his absence his team-mate Neymar has risen to the occasion, leading the line and scoring 10 goals in eight games with Barça suffering just one defeat, to Sevilla.

Neymar is likely to come up against the Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos who is hoping to postpone an operation on his damaged shoulder until after the match on 21 November.

The centre-back underwent tests at a Madrid hospital on an injury originally suffered against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League in September and has since been playing with pain-killing injections.

However, he has already missed six games since then and was ruled out of Spain’s friendlies against England and Belgium.