BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said Lionel Messi and Frenkie de Jong were given a break and will not go down against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League early Wednesday morning Malaysian time.

Barca flew to Ukraine as Group G leaders by collecting nine points after three games, three points ahead of Juventus in second place, yet they were in 12th place in La Liga when they lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

“We decided not to use Leo or Frenkie because our situation in the Champions League was quite comfortable,” Koeman said.

Messi, 33, has played in every Barca match of the season and and has played a full 90 minutes with the Argentine international during October and November.