Lionel Messi returns to training as his recovery enters new phase

Lionel Messi has entered a new phase of his recovery and, for the first time since his recent groin injury, he was running on Monday.

The superstar attacker was at Barcelona's training grounds on Monday while the rest of team had the day off, and he worked with a fitness coach, according to reports. To ease him back, he started with a half hour of continuous running, along with other exercises.

Messi reportedly has it set in his mind he will return for Barcelona when they face Manchester City in the Champions League on Oct. 19. Messi had to come off injured on Sept. 21 against Atletico Madrid due to a groin injury and he hasn't been back since. Barcelona originally said Messi's injury would only take about three weeks to heal, but it looks like that timeline has been lengthened a bit.

Argentina manager Edgardo Bauza has complained that Barcelona were not being careful with Messi — after the superstar missed a World Cup qualifier due to the groin injury, four days later Barcelona began starting him and had him play four matches in 12 days. Bauza later apologized for the comments, but he was clearly frustrated that Messi, Argentina's best player, will miss World Cup qualifiers against Peru on Thursday and next week against Paraguay.

Barcelona, for their part, could sure use their star man. They suffered a humiliating loss to Celta on Sunday and sit fourth on the La Liga table. Meanwhile, Barcelona are looking comfortable in the early goings of UEFA Champions League action, sitting atop Group C after two games.

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