Messi to leave Valladolid on private plane to begin his Christmas holidays early

Lionel Messi will not travel back to Barcelona with the rest of his teammates following Tuesday night's match at Real Valladolid.

The game is Barcelona's last before Christmas, with Ronald Koeman's side not back in action again until December 29 at home to Eibar.

Once Tuesday's game at the Estadio Jose Zorrilla is finished, Messi will be on his holidays almost straight away.

As MARCA understand, a private plane will be waiting for the Blaugrana captain to take him to another part of the world, presumably Argentina.

The plane, already in Valladolid on Tuesday morning, went to pick up Messi's family from Barcelona at 17:15 CET and is set to fly back to Valladolid at 20:00.

It remains to be seen whether Messi will leave the Jose Zorrilla with the rest of the Barcelona squad or whether he'll go straight to his private plane.

Koeman is giving his team a few days' rest during over Christmas, with the entire squad - including Messi - expected back in training on Sunday, December 27.