“Welcome Romans, 100,000 gladiators await you,” warned Barcelona in a preview video of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Roma on Wednesday.

One warrior stands head and shoulders above the rest. Lionel Messi is fit again and expected to start after rising from the bench to rescue Barcelona in a 2-2 draw with Sevilla on Saturday.

Messi missed Argentina’s friendlies during the international break – a 2-0 win over Italy and a humiliating 6-1 thrashing by Spain in Madrid – with muscular problems.

Thrown on by Ernesto Valverde just before the hour as Barcelona trailed Sevilla 2-0, Messi turned the tide and drove home an 89th-minute equaliser from outside the area, a minute after Luis Suárez had made the scoreline 2-1 when he thrashed a loose ball from a corner into the roof of the net.

“He didn’t start the game as a precaution,” Valverde said. “We think he will be fine for Wednesday. Of course, he’s an important player. He makes a difference every time he touches the ball.”

The last time Roma faced Barcelona was in the Champions League group stage in November 2015, with Barça registering a thumping 6-1 home win. Messi made his return from a two-month injury lay-off in that game, running the show and scoring twice, as well as setting up a goal for Gerard Piqué.

Suárez, who also struck twice against Roma in that match, was pleased with Barça’s attitude against Sevilla. “It’s to Messi’s credit that he keeps on demonstrating his class,” he said. “But the work of the whole team, to keep going and not give up, is what stays with me.”

Barcelona looked lost at Sevilla until Messi came on, especially without Sergio Busquets anchoring the team and controlling the game. The holding midfielder is back in training after a toe injury and could also start against Roma.

“Andrés Iniesta, our Michelangelo, Leo Messi, our emperor,” Barcelona declared in the video.

While playmaker Iniesta’s brushstrokes paint the path, it is only with Messi leading the charge that Barcelona can be confident of beating Roma and taking another step towards a potential treble.