Lionel Messi’s “return” to the Argentinian national team may have to wait.
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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed to a Catalan-based radio station that the club will start talking to Camp Nou superstar Lionel Messi about renewing his contract, now due to expire to 2018.
Messi is a major doubt to play in Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers in September due to an injury he sustained Sunday, according to ESPN FC.
Messi played in Sunday’s (Monday NZ time) 1-0 league win at Athletic Bilbao but underwent tests on Monday (Tuesday NZ time) after admitting that the injury was causing him pain.
“The player will travel to Argentina to join the national team and the evolution of the discomfort will decide his availability to play in the games scheduled”. “His presence in those matches will depend on how the injury develops”, the statement from Barcelona read. Obviously, it benefits clubs for their players to rest during worldwide breaks instead of play global matches, and for them to suddenly announce an injury to Lionel Messi would put pressure on Argentina to consider sitting their superstar.
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Uruguay sits comfortably atop the World Cup qualifying standings with 13 points; the team has done this without its top star Luis Suarez. The reigning Ballon d’Or victor “retired” from the national side in June after losing the Copa America final, the third straight final he lost with the team.
