5 things to look forward to this Christmas in European football

With Christmas coming up, there’s a lot for people around the world to cherish about. But if you’re a football fan, you’ll have that and more waiting for you. With 2014 approaching us thick and fast, here are the 5 things to look forward to this winter for all you football junkies -

1. Lionel Messi returns

The 4-time Ballon d’Or winner has been sorely missed by the football world, thanks to his month-long absence from the pitch. The Argentinian captain was at the receiving end of a hamstring pull last month in their 2-1 win against Real Betis.

His absence has proved to be costly for Barcelona as they fell prey to Athletico Bilbao, suffering their first defeat of the season. Lionel Messi’s absence has made Barcelona look timid, but thanks to their Brazilian wonder kid Neymar, they still look better than most of the sides.

With the forward racking up a hat-trick and an assist in a 6-1 win against Scottish Premier League side Celtic in the UEFA Champions League, his Argentinian compatriot doesn’t have a whole lot to worry about.

Barcelona’s head coach Tata Martino is expecting his number 10 to make a return in the second week of January, but given the forward’s fitness levels, an early return cannot be ruled out. He may miss out on his 5th Ballon d’Or this time around, but his comeback will be a prelude for good things to come for the Catalan giants and for the fans alike.