Sport

Messi makes good progress

LIONEL Messi is making good progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury, Barcelona have announced.

The Argentina forward is in Buenos Aires as he continues his rehabilitation from the injury which has kept him out for more than a month.

Club doctor Richard Pruna and director of sport Andoni Zubizarreta have travelled to Argentina to check on his recovery.

Pruna performed a physical examination and an ultrasound yesterday which showed Messi was "making good progress".

The injury is set to keep Messi out for between six and eight weeks in total, meaning he is in line for a January return. Messi has been in his home country since November 29, working on what his club called "the second phase of his recovery programme" at the Argentinian Football Association facility.

The 26-year-old will undergo further tests tomorrow to determine whether he can begin "the third phase" of his programme.

The forward injured his hamstring away to Real Betis on November 10.