Record-chasing Messi to start at Betis

Lionel Messi will start for Barcelona at Real Betis on Sunday in La Liga after shrugging off a knee injury, the club confirmed.

The Argentinian needs only one more goal to equal German legend Gerd Mueller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year set in 1972.

There had been doubts over whether or not Messi would make the game after being carried off on a stretcher on Wednesday in the Champions League match against Benfica suffering from a slight knee injury.