Champions League: Koeman Explains Why Messi, De Jong Will Not Play Barcelona’s Next Game

FC Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman explained why he did not include the duo of Lionel Messi and Frenkie de Jong for his side’s upcoming Champions League clash with Dynamo Kiev Tuesday.

While there were rumors about a fallout between the pair and Koeman, the Dutch manager has rubbished the reports during the pre-match press conference in Ukraine on Monday.

"They need to take some rest and, after the good performances in the Champions League, it is a good time for them to rest," Koeman told reporters.

With three out of three wins, Barcelona are currently at the top of Group G in the 2020-21 Champions League.

Apart from Messi and de Jong, Barcelona will also be without their key defender Gerard Pique, who has been ruled out for three to five months after suffering a knee injury during his side’s 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid a few days back.

"Tests carried out this Sunday have shown that he has a grade 3 sprain in the internal lateral ligament and partial injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He is therefore not available for selection, and the evolution of the injury will condition his availability," Barcelona said in a statement.

Even though the 33-year-old Messi played full 90 minutes at Wanda Metropolitano, where Barcelona suffered their third loss in the 2020-21 La Liga, it is understood that the Argentinian is not fully committed to the club anymore after pushing for a transfer request in the 2020 summer. While Messi failed to make a successful move away from Camp Nou, many believe that he will leave Barcelona at the end of the ongoing season.

While Koeman has been staying away from speculations regarding Messi’s Barcelona future, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola recently spoke about his possible reunion with Messi at Etihad Stadium.

"Lionel Messi is a player from Barcelona. What I want is [for Messi] to finish his career there. I would love it, I would wish it. That is what I said I don't know how many times, maybe a thousand times, " said Guardiola, who coached the Argentinian playmaker at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.