River Plate have a "big chance" of defeating Barcelona in the World Club Cup in December -- especially if Lionel Messi is ruled out by injury, coach Cesar Luis Menotti believes.
Former Barcelona and Argentina coach Menotti says his club, the Copa Libertadores holders, can shock the Champions League winners at the event in Japan.
Messi is sidelined with a knee ligament injury, which Barca have said will keep him out until late November, but is widely expected to return in time for the Clasico at Real Madrid on Nov. 21.
The World Club Cup final is not played until Dec. 20, meaning Messi should be fully fit, and Menotti told Argentine paper La Capital, in quotes reported by Mundo Deportivo: "If Messi does not play, River have a big chance of beating this Barcelona in Japan.
"But if he plays, it is much more difficult. It depends on how el pibe is."
Menotti, who won the Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga and Supercopa at Barcelona the 1983-84 season, indicated that he was not so impressed by the current side.
"It is just one game, and this Barcelona of Luis Enrique could lose to anyone," he said. "If it was against [Josep] Guardiola's Barca, River would have no chance of winning. Pep is the best coach of the last 30 years."
Menotti said Argentina would not have got out of their World Cup group without Messi, who captained them to the final where they lost 1-0 to Germany in extra time.
The coach, who led Argentina to the 1978 World Cup, said: "Messi gives you that jump in quality that no other national team has, but he must be helped. Argentina sometimes help him, and sometimes not.
"By contrast, if Messi played for Germany it would be impossible [to beat them]."