Messi, De Jong and Pjanic miss Barcelona training

Messi, De Jong and Pjanic had permission from Ronald Koeman to not take part in the session with their teammates as they had not yet received the results of their PCR tests.

Ronald Koeman welcomed back ten internationals in Thursday's session, as his side prepare for their LaLiga return. Only three players were missing for the return session; Leo Messi, Frenkie de Jong and Miralem Pjanic. All three were absent with permission from the Dutch coach and all exercised separately as they cannot be in contact with the group until the result of their PCR tests is known after having played with their respective countries. The Argentine forward arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday after a trip of more than fifteen hours, while the other two played with their national teams on Wednesday.

Therefore Messi, De Jong and Pjanic will only have one session before the match against Atlético Madrid on Saturday. All three are expected to start at the Wanda Metropolitano against a strong Diego Simeone side. Messi will start, especially with the recent injury to Ansu Fati, and De Jong and Pjanic too, due to the absence of Sergio Busquets for the couple next matches through injury.

The Barça squad was subjected to a PCR test as is the protocol on arrival after the internationals. Messi, De Jong and Pjanic all took the tests and tested negative from their homes.

Leo Messi and Antoine Griezmann therefore haven't had the chance to chat to one another, after the explosive statements of the Argentine midweek, in which he claimed he feels "tired" for always being the one at the centre of all the club's problems. Griezmann's former agent recently attacked the Barcelona captain for the way he manages the dressing room.