Lionel Messi among six Barcelona stars rested ahead of Copa del Rey clash with Murcia

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti have been given two days off by Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde who is expected to make wholesale changes to his team for the Copa del Rey dead rubber clash against Murcia on Wednesday night (29 November).

The six players started the controversial 1-1 draw at Valencia on Sunday [26 November], which saw Jordi Alba cancel out Rodrigo's opener.

But the game will be remembered for Messi being denied what appeared to be a clear goal when his shot beat Valencia goalkeeper Neto but was adjudged not to have crossed the line despite replays suggesting otherwise.

The result nevertheless keeps Barca unbeaten at the top of the La Liga table, four points ahead of Valencia and eight clear of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid after 13 games.

Argentina international Messi was returning to the starting line-up at the Mestalla after being benched for the goalless draw at Juventus in the Champions League.

And Valverde is expected give Messi and the other five regular starters another rest against Murcia with Barcelona holding a 3-0 advantage from the first-leg.

The club confirmed that the six players will enjoy two days off after seven youngsters from the second team - Jorge Cuenca, Vitinho, Marc Cardona, David Costas, Carles Aleñá, Oriol Busquets and keeper Adrián Ortolá - were promoted to to fill the gap.

"Ernesto Valverde and his coaching staff had some of the first team available, but Sergio, Iniesta, Suárez, Messi, Jordi Alba and Umtiti were absent, given a rest until Wednesday. The group was completed by J.Cuenca, Vitinho, Cardona, David Costas, Aleñá, O.Busquets and A.Ortolá, of Barça B, Dembélé and Rafinha continued with their own recovery," the Catalans confirmed in the club website.

Messi and co should be back in training on Wednesday to begin preparations for the Saturday's [2 December] La Liga clash against Celta Vigo.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are yet to give any update on the fitness of Sergi Roberto, Andre Gomes, Arda Turan and Javier Mascherano after the quartet players missed the weekend's clash at Valencia due to different injuries.

Roberto and Gomes are yet to play a game since suffering respective hamstring injuries in the Champions League draw at Olympiakos on 31 October. However, they have been training with the rest of the available teammates since last week and could thus be ready to make the squad for the cup clash.

Elsewhere, over the weekend long-term injury casualty Dembele revealed that he plans to return to full training in two weeks, suggesting that he could be even be ready to play in the first El Clasico of La Liga at Real Madrid on 23 December.

Barcelona have now reiterated that his recovery is going well, but they are refusing to set a timescale for his return to action.

"Every days sees the return of Ousmane Dembélé get that little bit closer even though at the moment there is no set date for the Frenchman to don the Barça shirt once again," the club said.

"The striker continues his recovery programme at the Ciutat Esportiva following the hamstring injury he suffered on 16 September against Getafe in the Coliseu Alfonso Pérez in the 2-1 win."