Lionel Messi feeling "very good"

Lionel Messi has claimed that he feels "very good" as he steps up his recovery from a hamstring injury.

The Argentine has not played for Barcelona since November after picking up the strain during a league clash with Real Betis in Seville.

The forward has since spent time in Argentina with a number of doctors and is on course to return to first-team action at the beginning of January.

On Chinese social network Tencent Weibo, Messi revealed: "Injury-wise I am very good. Now the countdown begins."

Barcelona will finish 2013 top of the La Liga table.