Messi Suggests He May Sit Out League Opener

It appears that Lionel Messi will be fit for the start of the new season, but not in order to play three matches in a very short space of time. The Catalan club will face Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Super Cup on August 28, after which they will tackle Sporting de Gijon in La Liga. This is then followed by Argentina’s crucial game against Brazil in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier. It is understood that it would be very difficult for Leo to come through all three of these games Messi has summarised his thoughts below:

“On August 28 I will be at the European Super Cup, no doubt,” Messi told TyC Sports. “The problem is the next match. Therefore, I already spoke with Pep Guardiola and Diego Maradona, to see if I can travel to Argentina immediately after the match with Shakhtar. Fortunately, Pep is a very intelligent person and we have a great relationship. We still have to meet and talk to see what is best for everyone.”

It remains to be seen how Leo’s recovery will progress, but it does look likely that a compromise may have to be struck between club and country.