Lionel Messi has targeted the possible Champions League semi-final between the Catalan club and Manchester United as his dream game to return in. The 20-year-old Barcelona forward has recovered from a thigh muscle tear that has kept him sidelined since the beginning of March and has started light training. The imminent return of Messi has been tempered, however, by the news that Ronaldinho will be out for up to six weeks after pulling a muscle in his right leg in training.

Messi has been training under the guidance of Argentinian Football Association medical staff in Buenos Aires. He returned to Barcelona last night and expressed his intentions to be ready should his team advance to a possible tie with the English champions. "It would be great if I could be in the semi-finals of the Champions League," he said. "If we played Manchester United it would be amazing because we would be playing one of the best teams in the world. But I aim to be back before that."

Barcelona currently hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Schalke 04, with the second leg at the Nou Camp due to be played on April 9.

Messi declared himself available to finish the job against the Germans. "If it was up to me I'd play this weekend because I feel fine, and even if was just a few minutes I'd like to play in the second leg against Schalke," he said.

Barcelona confirmed the injury to Ronaldinho on their website.

"A scan carried out this morning confirms that he has a torn muscle which will keep him off the pitch for a period of about six weeks," it said.

Ronaldinho, who has been linked to a move away from Barcelona in the summer, will miss most of the remaining season.

The former FIFA world player of the year has missed Barcelona's last four Spanish league matches and only returned to training with the rest of his teammates on Wednesday. Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said the player had been absent because he had complained of muscle pains in his right leg.