Lionel Messi will probably play against to relegation-threatened Villarreal in La Liga on Tuesday, said Ernesto Valverde, despite suggestions it would be a good time to rest the Argentine ahead of a top-of-the-table clash with Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Ernesto Valverde’s team beat Espanyol 2-0 last Saturday at the Camp Nou with two goals from Messi, while Villarreal lost against Celta Vigo 3-2 in a match that saw both teams battling to avoid relegation.

Barcelona have not lost against Villarreal since March 2008 when they were beaten 2-1 at the Camp Nou.

Since then the Catalan side have won 14 out of 19 matches in La Liga, drawing the other five.

However, with Barca some 10 points ahead of Atletico in the title race and with a crucial Champions League tie against Manchester United following next week, conventional wisdom would suggest rotating would be an option.

Watch Valverde’s full thoughts in the video above.