The Catalans’ win ratio without the 32-year-old was at 40 per cent.
With the Argentine fit and back in the starting XI, it has increased to 100 per cent.
Barcelona returned to the La Liga top spot on Saturday. The Catalans beat Eibar 3-0 at Ipurua while Real Madrid were defeated 1-0 at Mallorca. As things stand now, the Blaugrana sit in 1st with 19 points after the gameweek 9. Zinedine Zidane’s men are the 2nd with 18.
Barca’s way back to the top has been boosted by Lionel Messi’s return to the starting XI after missing first 4 league clashes due to a calf injury.
Ernesto Valverde’s side was in 7th with a 40 per cent win ratio (1.4 points per game) prior to the Argentine’s comeback. With Leo up and running, the Catalans have a 100% win record (3 points per game).
Messi returned to the league action as a second-half substitute in the 2-0 defeat at Granada. He started his first match of the 2019/20 season three days later. Barca left no chance to Villarreal at Camp Nou but the 32-year-old suffered a thigh injury that night.
After missing the winning trip to Getafe, Lionel made 3 full appearances – Inter Milan (W, 2-1) in the Champions League and the La Liga encounters with Sevilla (W, 4-0) and Eibar (W, 3-0).
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