Lionel Messi finally joins team training after suffering quadriceps injury

FC Barcelona returned to training on Monday in order to prepare for Saturday's La Liga fixture against Mallorca.

Reportedly, Lionel Messi has also returned to training after suffering a quadriceps injury last week.

Last week, the Barcelona captain missed two training sessions as his club confirmed that the Argentine star suffered a minor injury. However, on Friday, he trained alone at Camp Nou.

It has been understood that the 32-year old forward has made the recovery that his club expected him to make. Now that he has returned to full training on Monday, the defending La Liga champions are hopeful that their captain will be available and fit for the weekend encounter.

After playing Mallorca in an away game, the team will return to Camp Nou after three long months away. Barca is scheduled to face Leganes on June 16 in their first home game post-lockdown.

Alongside Messi, Portuguese right-back Nelson Semedo and midfielder Monchu Rodriguez also returned to training, following recent injuries.

On Monday, Barcelona's first team trained at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper in Sant Joan Despí, with manager Quique Setien overseeing the session.

According to Goal, the Barca manager insisted that Messi is "perfectly fine" while addressing the Argentine superstar's physical condition.

Setien said, "It's not just Messi - other players haven't trained because they've had niggles. It's happened to lots of them. Leo has a cramp that's not hugely significant. I think he's perfectly fine and he won't have any problems. It's the same for any other player. We'll see how the league goes and what circumstances come up. We have lots of games and a small squad. I always want to have Messi on the pitch, of course."

La Liga leaders Barcelona are currently sitting two points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid with 11 matches remaining for each side.

Barcelona has a congested schedule ahead and concerns regarding Messi's fitness were raised by fans. However, with Setien being hopeful of Messi's form, only time will reveal if the six-time Ballon d'Or winner can make it through to the end of the season without any further injuries.

Before the league was halted in March amidst the novel coronavirus outbreak, Messi was the top scorer in this season's La Liga with 19 goals to his name. Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema is second on the list after netting 14 goals.

Barca will want Messi's form to continue after the season returns to action.

The Barcelona camp's morale received an additional boost after the club confirmed over the weekend that Luis Suarez will be fit enough to take part in the game against Mallorca.