Messi back in time for El Clasico?

It could be a case of 'cometh the hour cometh the man' on November 21 with Barcelona contemplating the possibility of being able to bring Lionel Messi off the bench on the 60-minute mark against Real Madrid in the season's first Clasico.

It will be eight weeks exactly since he tore ligaments in his left knee if he returns a week on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Messi is understood to have told team-mates that he is cautiously confident of playing some part in the game giving Barcelona a major boost ahead of a fixture that will see them move six points clear of their rivals if they win.

The Argentine last Monday returned to training for the first time in anticipation of warming up for the El Clasico.

Spanish media have suggested that Messi may be named on the bench for the trip to the Bernabeu but not everyone is in agreement that he can make it back in time.

Argentina's team doctor Homero de Agostino has said Messi runs the risk of a recurrence of the injury if he makes his comeback against Real.

Homero de Agostino told Cadena Ser: “He needs another week to be back fully fit. In a game he will receive 150 blows to the legs, that doesn't happen in a training session so ideally he needs to try himself out in a game”.

Barcelona coaching staff agree the Clasico is not a game to be used for testing a recently healed injury but they saw the impact Messi can have coming off the bench in Barca’s recent win over Atletico Madrid when he appeared as a substitute after 59 minutes to inspire his team to a 2-1 victory, scoring the winner with 76 minutes gone.

The Catalans are top of the La Liga table, three points clear of Real and four ahead of Atletico Madrid

Neymar and Luis Suarez — the other two players in Barcelona's three-pronged attack — have made light of Messi's absence with 11 and nine goals respectively in 11 league games.