BARCELONA, Spain: Lionel Messi is doubtful for the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday (Monday in Manila), when his Barcelona will face Athletic Bilbao.

Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer has been nursing an unspecified fitness issue that caused coach Ronald Koeman to leave him out of the semifinal on Wednesday against Real Sociedad. Without Messi, Barcelona needed some great goalkeeping by Marc-Andre ter Stegen to reach — and prevail in — a penalty shootout.