Lionel Messi OUT of Barcelona clash with Leganes: Exact reason for absence revealed

LIONEL MESSI will miss Barcelona’s clash with Leganes on Saturday.

Lionel Messi is set to miss Barcelona's clash with Leganes on Saturday.

Barca are aiming to equal a La Liga record but they will have to do so without their talisman, who head coach Ernesto Valverde has decided to rest.

Barcelona are on a 37-match unbeaten streak in the league and if they avoid defeat to 14th-placed Los Pepineros at the Nou Camp then Barca will match Real Sociedad's 38-game record they achieved in 1980.

But with Barcelona still harbouring hopes of a treble, Valverde has made the decision to leave Messi out.

The Spanish giants lead second-placed Atletico Madrid by nine points in the La Liga table, have set up a Copa del Rey final with Sevilla and have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals following Wednesday's comfortable 4-1 win over Roma.

With the return leg in Rome on Tuesday, Valverde has elected to rotate his squad with Messi among those set to miss out on domestic action along with Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta, but the Barcelona boss is not underestimating his opponents.

Barcelona lead Atletico Madrid by nine points in the La Liga table.

The 54-year-old said: "I've been waiting for Leganes for the whole season. A team with enthusiasm, they play very well. It will be a tough match.

"We want to get the three points. We need 15 to be champions. We are in a team that is used to winning, and obliged to win.

"Now we have the best, the most beautiful, but also the most difficult games ahead. The supporters at the Camp Nou are always with us, tomorrow I'm sure they will also respond."

Leganes have lost all three meetings with Barcelona but head coach Asier Garitano remains optimistic, despite facing a Barcelona side that have not tasted defeat in LaLiga this season.

He said: "Winning at the Camp Nou is a difficult challenge, but also a beautiful one and we are going to try it.

"We need to make a great game and hope the things that happen in the game will be in our favour. We have to go for it, knowing the difficulty, which is great, but the challenge is nice, let's see if we can compete there.

"I think they are very strong as well, but I think they are going to change players, they have a lot of games and this is a good match for them to be able to change players."

Alex Szymanowski and Martin Mantovani will miss the clash through injury, while Diego Rico is suspended.