Lionel Messi hobbled out of Barcelona’s
1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid at the Nou Camp on Wednesday raising fresh
questions about his fitness and whether he is being overused. Messi’s latest injury has come shortly after the groin problem
he picked up when playing for Argentina in a World Cup qualifier against
Uruguay earlier this month.
The forward sat out Argentina’s game
against Venezuela and then Barcelona’s Liga match against Alaves while he
recovered. He returned last week to score a hat trick in a 7-0 win beside
Celtic in the Champions League and then added two goals in the 5-1 win over
Leganes on Saturday.
Messi had certainly looked sharp in those games. In the 59
minutes he played Wednesday, he rarely hit full stride and his night ended when
he pulled up, holding his groin area before being substituted.
Barcelona announced after the game that Messi, who had
watched the rest of the game from the bench, was suffering from a right groin
strain and would be out for “around three weeks.”
That will mean the Argentine will miss
league games against Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo as well as the Champions
League road trip to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The injury will also rule him out
of his country’s World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Venezuela.
Messi’s earlier injury was to his left
groin.
When he reported for duty with
Argentina, national team Coach Edgardo Bauza said Barcelona had recommended
Messi not travel to those games due to concerns over recurring groin pains.
Spanish media suggested that advice had come from the club’s physician.
It would not be the first time Messi
opted not to heed medical advice to play.
Late last season there were suggestions
Messi was continuing to play while suffering from a muscle injury and after
returning from national team duty. He announced himself fit to occupy yourself
against Alaves before Coach Luis Enrique decided to rest him.
But Barcelona may need to start taking a
stronger line against Messi’s enthusiasm to play, even when not fully
fit. At 29, Messi still has plenty left in his tank, but his heavy
schedule in recent years could be taking a toll.
After this summer’s Copa America Centenario,
where Messi missed a penalty in the shootout defeat to Chile in the final, the
player said he was retiring from national team duty but he quickly reversed
that decision. The Argentine has not had a full summer offseason since
2013, having played in the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and two successive years
of Copa America tournaments.
Even though he missed two months with a
knee injury last September, he still made 49 appearances in all competitions
for Barcelona before heading to the United States for the Copa.
Wednesday’s draw was especially
disappointing for Barcelona after competitor Real Madrid was held to 1-1 draw
by Villarreal earlier in the evening.