Messi cuts short holiday to rejoin Barcelona squad
The Argentine was scheduled back on August 1st but forms part of the expedition that will travel to Birmingham (UK) on Monday.
Lionel Messi was the surprise inclusion to the list of 25 players that Luis Enrique made official this evening and that will form the expedition that fly to the UK on Monday as the Catalan club continue their pre-season preparation.
The Argentine player last played a competitive game on June 26 as his national team fell to Chile in the final of the 2016 Copa America in New Jersery (USA). The No. 10 wasn't expected back to join up with the squad until August 1 but as in previous cases he's forsaken time off to join up with Luis Enrique and the Barça squad.
Messi and Arda Turan will join up with Masip, Luis Suárez, Munir, Sergi Roberto, Adriano, Aleix Vidal, Mathieu, Denis Suárez and Samper as regular first team players for the training camp at the St. George’s Park complex in the Midlands.
Tello and Montoya will also travel with the group as both players agents continue to discuss their respective futures. 12 players from the youth set-up will compliment the group of 25: José Suárez, Josep Martínez, Marlon, Martínez, Borja López, Carbonell, Gumbau, Aleñá, Nili, Alfaro, Cámara and Mujica.
Barça face Scottish title holders Glasgow Celtic next Saturday in Dublin as part of the pre-season International Champions Cup.