Lionel Messi to miss start of La Liga
Coach Pep Guardiola has given Lionel Messi the go-ahead to miss Barcelona's opening game of the Primera Division season in order to prepare for Argentina's crunch World Cup qualifier against Brazil.
Argentina, currently fourth in their qualifying group, face leaders and arch rivals Brazil in Rosario on September 5 - just five days after Barca start the defence of their Spanish league title against Sporting Gijon.
That game against Sporting had been pushed back to the Monday because of Barca's commitments in the European Super Cup final against Shakhtar Donetsk on the previous Friday, and meant Messi would have been late in joining up with the Argentina squad.
Guardiola has given his blessing for Messi to sit out the Sporting game, saying: "To say that he doesn't want to play for Barca is tendentious.
"He wants to play with Barca. But the (European) Supercup is on Friday and the league encounter is on the Monday.
"I've given him my permission to go with his national team. The footballer always pays in these cases when it's the fault of the fixture list."
Messi will not take part in the opening leg of the Spanish Supercup against Athletic Bilbao tonight either, because Guardiola decided not to include him in his squad following injury.
Messi complained of a thigh problem while with Argentina earlier this week - and although it is not deemed a serious injury, Guardiola is preferring not to take any risks, saying: "There are many games ahead."
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