The Argentina international has led by example, and not just in terms of goals, after Barcelona appeared to lose their sparkle in defeat at Atletico Madrid and draws away to VfB Stuttgart and Almeria over the last month.
"The first to promote the spirit of the team is Messi himself," Barca president Joan Laporta said after the 22-year-old forward scored twice in the 4-0 win over Stuttgart that put them in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.
"He is the first to pressure opponents, to try and win the ball back, to fight for every ball. His commitment is contagious for the rest of the team," he said.
Barca have slipped back to second on goal difference behind leaders Real Madrid, and will be hoping Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry and Bojan Krkic step forward to try and share some of Messi's goal-scoring burden.
"We are playing a footballing giant, but we can be a little David and we can bring them down," Zaragoza's Brazilian midfielder Edmilson said of his former club, adding more cautiously: "A point against this Barca would feel like victory."
The battle for Spain's other two Champions League qualification slots is almost like a separate competition.
