Barcelona have been taking steps to ensure Lionel Messi is at his very best to take on Liverpool.
Messi played only the second half on Saturday night and scored the winner as the Catalans beat Levante 1-0 to secure the La Liga title.
With Barcelona having been champions elect for some time, coach Ernesto Valverde has taken the opportunity to rest Messi in the league this month.
Messi played just 29 minutes at both Villarreal and Alaves and was rested completely against Huesca, featuring for the full 90 against only Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Follow all the build-up to Liverpool's semi-final with Barcelona HERE
By contrast, the Argentine played every minute of the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final win over Manchester United, netting twice in the 3-0 triumph at Camp Nou.
It's the first time since 2015 Barcelona have reached the last four of the competition.
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And former Liverpool forward John Toshack, who scored the winner at Camp Nou for the Reds in a 1-0 UEFA Cup victory in 1976, believes Messi could be the difference in the tie.
“It's very difficult to bet against Messi.,” he said, speaking to AS. “The way Messi is, you have to be silly to bet against Barca. He's capable of breaking everything.
“Messi is something else, I think. As in golf there is a handicap, here there should be a Messi handicap.
“They should give a goal of advantage to the opponents when they play against Messi.”
Toshack has also pointed to the differences between the two coaches, Barcelona's Ernesto Valverde and Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool.
“Valverde, I think he's been conservative all his life,” said Toshack, a former coach of Real Madrid.
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“But if he is at Barca, I imagine he has his merits, and not a few.
“As for Klopp, it's the opposite. But beware, Klopp has not won much. In Dortmund yes, but in Liverpool they are waiting for it.
“In England there are many titles at stake per year and he has not yet won what is expected of him.”
