Nou Way

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez among 11 Barcelona players subjected to surprise anti-doping tests

Club's scheduled training session had to be delayed as Uefa workers arrived to test the starting XI that beat Chelsea

Sam Morgan

Published: 8:32, 31 Mar 2018
Updated: 8:33, 31 Mar 2018

LIONEL MESSI and Luis Suarez were among 11 Barcelona players subjected to surprise anti-doping tests yesterday.

The club's scheduled training session had to be delayed as workers from Uefa dropped in unannounced.

Lionel Messi was among 11 Barca players subjected to doping testingCredit: EPA

Barcelona confirmed the players chosen for testing were the starting XI that beat Chelsea in the second-leg of their Champions League last-16 clash.

The players called to give blood and urine samples were Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Jordi Alba, Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti.

The tests, run by European football's governing body, are commonplace.

They are always performed without notice.

The Barcelona players Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in training yesterdayCredit: EPA

The Nou Camp side face Sevilla todayCredit: EPA

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