Messi fit to resume bid for goal record

Lionel Messi's bid to break Gerd Muller's record for goals in a calendar year is back on after the Argentina star was named in Barcelona's squad to travel to Real Betis on Sunday.
Messi, who is one short of the German's 1972 milestone mark of 85, has made a quick recovery from the injury he suffered on Wednesday that had football fans around the world so worried.
"He completed training on Saturday without any kind of trouble," coach Tito Vilanova said on Barca's website.
"There are still a lot of hours until kickoff and we'll all evaluate the situation together and decide whether he'll play the full 90 minutes or just part of the match.
"The important thing is that he's feeling okay ... But he could easily wake up in the morning and tell us he's feeling pain again."
Messi injured his knee after coming on as a substitute in the 0-0 Champions League draw with Benfica, prompting fears that he would miss Barcelona's last four games of 2012.
"When I first felt the knock, the pain made me imagine I'd be out for many months," he said.
However, he announced the following day that the injury was not serious -- and now it appears he is fit to face fifth-placed Betis.
"If he travels it's because he's ready to play. If there was the slightest risk, he wouldn't be going," Vilanova said.
"I think Messi was comforted when he found out that it's not a serious injury. If he wants to be in the squad because he's not feeling any trouble, then so much the better for us.
"But he doesn't need to make this kind of effort to show how much he loves this sport."
Barcelona went into the weekend six points clear of Atletico Madrid, who host Deportivo La Coruna earlier on Sunday.
Champions Real Madrid closed to within two points of Atletico after coming from behind to beat seventh-placed Valladolid on Saturday.
Angolan striker Manucho twice put the home side ahead, but Germany midfielder Mesut Osil scored his second goal of the match with a superb 72nd-minute free-kick that went in off the underside of the crossbar to clinch a vital win for Real.
Jose Mourinho brought on Angel Di Maria and Luka Modric in the second half to boost his attacking options, then was able to substitute opening goalscorer Karim Benzema late in the match with Real ahead.