Barcelona 'racing to confirm Lionel Messi deal before Cristiano Ronaldo meeting'

Barcelona reportedly face a race against time to confirm Lionel Messi's new contract before a friendly against Juventus next month.

While there is every indication that the club legend will extend his stay at Camp Nou, the Catalan giants must first significantly reduce their wage bill.

A number of sales and loan exits are expected to take place over the coming weeks as Barcelona look to meet La Liga's criteria regarding player salaries.

However, according to Sport, Barcelona may struggle to officially announce Messi's return before the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 8.

The Spanish outfit naturally want to see the Argentine superstar feature in a fixture which would see him renew his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.

The report adds that the 34-year-old is due to return to training on August 2.