Messi could be set for a dramatic return

ARGENTINA forward Lionel Messi has been included in Barcelona’s 22-man squad for the Champions League final against Arsenal in Paris despite not playing for more than two months.

The 18-year-old trained with the team yesterday but has not been given the all-clear to play by club medical staff.

It is expected that a decision about his inclusion in the team for the final will be made after Barcelona train at the Stade de France today.

Messi tore a thigh muscle against Chelsea on March 7. “The fact that Messi will be with us will make us stronger but we don’t know if he will play in the final,” Barca midfielder Deco said yesterday.

Deco, the only member of the present Barca squad to have won the European Cup after helping Porto lift the trophy in 2004, played down Barcelona’s favourites tag.

“There are no favourites for any final and we are going to have to suffer a lot if we want to win it,” said the Portugal international.

“We can’t say we are the better team and even if we were it wouldn’t guarantee us victory. If you don’t respect your opponents things can start going wrong.

“(AC) Milan were winning 3-0 last year against Liverpool and ended up losing. We need to be serious, calm and fully concentrated so that we don’t make any errors.”

Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas, who is from Arenys de Mar just a few miles north of Barcelona, has discovered who his real friends are since Arsenal qualified to meet Barcelona.

He was back home last week and found that his friends are disappearing. “It’s a small town and they are Barcelona fans and sometimes they don’t wish me luck,” he said.

“They say ‘please don’t play well’ and it’s a strange situation for me.

“The other day when I went back to Barcelona and saw people I’ve known since I was young. It’s not nice when they don’t wish you luck. I just say ‘okay, good luck to you then’.

Fabregas, like most Catalan boys, grew up supporting Barcelona and had the talent to join the youth ranks at the Nou Camp.

He was tipped for greatness by the club but decided to quit for Arsenal at the age of 16.

“It’s very difficult to leave a great team but I knew I was going to join a great team as well,” he said.

Meanwhile Norway’s Terje Hauge will referee the game. The 40-year-old will be assisted by compatriots Steinar Holvik and Ole Borgan Hermann.

Hauge started refereeing just before he turned 17 and made his first division debut in Norway aged 24, winning his FIFA badge in 1993. Since then, he has refereed 95 internationals including at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.