"We keep training" - Lionel Messi stars in Gatorade advert as LaLiga prepares to resume

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has posted an Instagram video with himself featuring in a Gatorade advert, as LaLiga prepare to resume the 2019-20 season next month.

In the 30-second clip, there is a series of cutaways featuring Lionel Messi over the course of this season: featuring Champions League goals vs. Borussia Dortmund and Slavia Prague.

He's also captured hard at work in multiple training sessions, while the video's narrator speaks in Spanish - translated with English subtitles - describing the pandemic and subsequent enforced break as somewhat of a half-time interval. The subtitles read:

"The half-time whistle blew and they sent us to the locker rooms. To refuel, to remember why we train, to make every drop of sweat count. The whistle will blow again, the ball will roll again. We will come back to the field stronger, motivated to run for every ball," followed by a quote by boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Lionel Messi himself captioned the video in Spanish, saying:

"We keep training, to recharge, to keep striving and give our best. We will return to the court to leave everything. Let's take the opportunity to continue training, to refuel, to continue striving, and give our best. We will return to the pitch, and give it everything. #MakeDaysCount."

With over a million views already since posting, you can watch the video for yourself here:

Lionel Messi determined to finish season on a high

Lionel Messi and his Barca teammates returned to training in groups of ten last Monday, while staying in line with health protocols and social distancing regulations.

This was seen as a significant step forward in the country's plans to resume the current campaign's fixtures, after March's suspension of play left eleven matchdays unresolved.

Barcelona, spearheaded by the division's top goalscorer Lionel Messi, held a two-point gap over closest rivals Real Madrid after 27 matches played.

After weeks of speculation, the country's prime minister Pedro Sanchez confirmed on May 23 that La Liga was free to resume fixtures from June 8 onwards. Original plans suggested resuming later that week on June 12, while TV and fixture scheduling is still to be completed.

READ: 5 things to look forward to as Spanish PM confirms La Liga return next month

Barcelona, who face an away trip to relegation-threatened Mallorca in their return game after a three-month hiatus, still have the potential to finish the season with two major trophies.

Earlier this month, Lionel Messi revealed the break could prove a blessing in disguise for a Barca side who have struggled with consistency issues this term - while being too reliant on the Argentina international for matchwinning efforts.

Their slender LaLiga lead will come under pressure from Real, though Lionel Messi and co may also win the Champions League for the first time in five years this summer.

Antoine Griezmann's equaliser saw them draw 1-1 with Serie A side Napoli in their last-16 first leg clash on February 25, so the tie is finely poised for a return fixture.

All square in Naples...Barcelona head back to the Nou Camp level with Napoli, after a Griezmann goal in the second half made it 1-1 🤝 pic.twitter.com/CuTb8W2Py4

— 🇩🇪Ja! Watch the Bundesliga live on BT Sport🇩🇪 (@btsportfootball) February 25, 2020

However, this game is unlikely to happen until August at the earliest, by which time each of Europe's top five divisions are expected to have concluded their league seasons.