Fever-struck Messi on fire in Copa

LIONEL Messi’s seemingly superhuman powers on the football field are well known, but the world’s best player even managed to turn on the magic when he was flu-ridden.

Messi escaped his sick bed to net a brace as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Osasuna in the first leg of a Copa del Rey tie on Wednesday.

Messi, who was a last-minute inclusion in the squad, was sent on in the 59th minute to the cheers of the Nou Camp fans with Barça already leading 2-0 thanks to a double from Cesc Fabregas.

Showing no obvious signs of illness, Messi headed in Fabregas’ cross in the 72nd minute and capped the win in stoppage time. “They first said Messi had a fever and was going home, [then] he comes out and scores two goals. What can we do?” said Osasuna coach Jose Mendilibar, whose team entered the night undefeated in their previous seven matches.

Even though earlier in the day Barcelona had said Messi would miss the match because of the flu, he was included after “responding well to treatment,” according to the club, and went on to score his 30th and 31st goals of another amazing season.