Barcelona will not rush Lionel Messi

Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has insisted that Lionel Messi will not be rushed back to fitness.

The Argentine tore his knee ligaments towards the end of last month and is expected to be on the sidelines until late November.

Reports that Messi had ditched crutches to walk led to suggestions that he could return earlier than expected, but Fernandez has said that it will take as long as it takes.

"Messi is fine. On Monday he was at the training ground with Andres Iniesta and Thomas Vermaelen," Mundo Deportivo quotes Fernandez as saying.

"We must be calm and not rush into anything. You have to not force anything to prevent a relapse. If it takes eight weeks then it'll be eight weeks."

Messi is believed to be building towards El Clasico on November 21.