The players should learn how to play without Leo Messi, Rivaldo says.
He’s convinced that Messi didn’t make the cut against Dynamo Kyiv because of Barca’s comfortable position in the group.
The Brazilian says that he’d like to have Messi on the pitch all the time if he were the Barca boss.
“In some parts of the season and maybe next season, Messi might not be around and other players will need to show up, so it’s good for the team to start getting used to it and at the same time gain some confidence for themselves without their main star on the pitch,” Rivaldo writes for his Betfair column.

“I’m sure Koeman only left Messi out of the Dynamo [Kyiv] game to rest him because it wasn’t a decisive match as Barcelona had almost qualified.

“If I were Barcelona manager I would like to have Messi on the pitch all the time,” the Brazilian concluded.

Leo Messi’s absence from the Dynamo Kyiv game allowed Ronald Koeman to see the likes of Martin Braithwaite and Francisco Trincao, as well as some youngsters, in action.