Listen to the article
00:00
/Lionel Messi has been excluded from Barcelona’s 19-man squad to face Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday.
This was disclosed by Barcelona Dutch coach Ronald Koeman in his press conference on Monday.
Messi played the full 90 minutes of Barca’s 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid on Saturday, but was not included in the list of players who will travel to the Ukraine for the Group G match.
According to Koeman, he has decided to rest Messi and midfielder Frenkie de Jong for the European tie because they are in a good position in their group but are struggling in 12th place in LaLiga.
The club cannot afford another injury after Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto joined Ansu Fati and Samuel Umtiti in the long-term absentee list.
