Messi happy to play without rest

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi may have already scored 38 goals in the La Liga but he insists that his body has adapted to playing week-in and week-out.

The Argentinian was in action on Saturday and scored the winning goal in his side's 2-1 win over Sevilla. It was also his 41st appearance of the season and he has been an ever-present with little injury concerns over the past year. 

The forward could have been rested over the weekend given that his side face a crunch clash against Real Madrid in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Tuesday, with the first leg having ended in a 1-1 draw. But Messi insists that his body actually feels better if he plays on a regular basis. 

"For years now I've been used to playing a lot of matches. My body feels better if it doesn't rest," he told Barca TV. 

"The most important thing is to win matches. If I can help with goals, then that's always better."

And he also stated that he remains focused on the upcoming cup tie against their arch-rivals and is not perturbed by last week's loss to AC Milan in the Champions League. 

"The only thing I'm thinking about right now is for myself and the team to put in a good performance and reach the final. What other people say doesn't affect me in the least," he added. 

"We mustn't drive ourselves crazy about the result in Milan or the first half against Sevilla. We have to pull ourselves together because there are some decisive games coming up.

"We have to be at our best against Real Madrid because otherwise we won't get through the tie.  

"In front of our own fans we don't have any other option than to go for a win against Real el Madrid; we can't start thinking that a goalless draw would see us through."

Finally, he concluded the interview on a philosophical note by stating that Barcelona's excellent performances over the past few seasons have not earned them the credit that was due, blaming it on the busy football calendar as it has denied people a chance to take stock of their achievements. 

"The dynamic of competitive football doesn't allow us to enjoy what this team is achieving, but maybe in the future it will be given the credit it deserves." 

Source: Fox Sport