Lionel Messi will be "like a bull" when he returns after almost two months out with a thigh injury, his Barcelona teammate Cesc Fabregas predicted ahead of Sunday's La Liga match at home to Elche.

Messi flew back to the Catalan capital on Wednesday from his native Argentina, where he completed the final phase of his recovery, and joined Fabregas and the rest of Gerardo Martino's squad for training on Thursday.

Martino will be wary of rushing the World Player of the Year into action, but is likely to give his compatriot limited playing time against Elche at Nou Camp in Barca's first game after the winter break.