Barcelona chief Robert Fernandez insists he doesn't know if Lionel Messi will make the El Clasico against Real Madrid.

Messi is battling to recover from a knee injury.

Asked about the presence of Messi, Fernandez admitted that he did not know if he would play: “The most important thing is for the player to be fit. If he is not, then that's fine. He will be the one to say so.

"It's a good sign that he is training but it is also true that there is a long way to go in the league season and it is not worth taking risks."