Messi out of Club World Cup semi with renal colic

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was cautious over the fitness of Lionel Messi and Neymar for the FIFA Club World Cup final after the Primera Division champions cruised past Guangzhou Evergrande yesterday.

Piquet also warned that the Asian champions, coached by Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, may try to disrupt Barcelona’s game with tactical fouling in Thursday’s match in Yokohama.

There was no way back for Guangzhou from there, and Suarez put the icing on the cake from the spot after 67 minutes, following Huang Bowen’s foul on Munir in the box.

Barca, who face Guangzhou Evergrande in Thursday’s semi-final, have won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League and Uefa Super Cup in 2015.

Suarez scored the opener after Ivan Rakitic’s shot wasn’t fully dealt with by Guangzhou goalkeeper Li Shuai, the Uruguayan carrying the burden without his MSN colleagues.

“We were missing two very important players and we had to remain very focused so that the match didn’t get away from us”, Suarez told Telecinco. They have Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta.

“I’ve witnessed (Neymar’s) enormous growth, both as a footballer and as a person”, said Messi. If we add the way he can press and how he sparks the rest of the team, he is indispensable.

“But my players have the hearts and the desire to make a game of it and I expect them to show that”. He also mentioned the importance of Guangzhou captain Zheng Zhi to Evergrande’s strategy.

Barca cruised past its fierce rival in the Clasico on 21 November with a 4-0 victory, inspired by a double from Uruguay worldwide Luis Suarez.

“We absolutely need to stay focused until the very end”.

Barca technical director Robert Fernandez insisted no risks would be taken over Messi.

“I don’t need to say anything to my players to give them any extra motivation”, insisted Scolari.

“We will see how he is in the night, how his symptoms develop tomorrow and see if he is fit to play the next game”.