Lionel Messi hopes Barcelona can complete the signing of Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. Messi came through the ranks at Barca alongside Cesc.

"We are in contact, we talk, from time to time we email," Messi told Sport. "He also wants to come to Barca, we are all waiting to see what happens.

"I hope it can be completed and he comes back so we can play together.

"Nobody ever imagined that we could be together in the Barcelona first team, especially when Cesc and Gerard Pique went. Getting together would be special, a very nice thing for all those who were in the team at that time."