Barcelona: No Olympics for Messi
(Soccer365.com) Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain has vowed to do all he can to prevent Lionel Messi from taking part in the Beijing Olympics.
Not surprisingly, the Argentinean Football Association (AFA) announced an Olympic squad that includes the Barcelona forward at the beginning of July.
Because the dates of the Olympic games clash with those of the Champion's League preliminary round, Barca are adamant that they will do everything in their power to keep their star player.
"We are right and we will fight for Messi to play the preliminary round because he has to be with us," said Begiristain.
"We have to play two games of official nature and so we have made that known to FIFA.
"We will continue insisting but we want to come to a solution that is agreed by all the parties."
But the club's chances of stopping Messi from participating in Beijing are slim - as the 21-year old has already said he wants to represent his country, and FIFA released a statement last week that said all players under 23 must be released for Olympic duty.
However, Barca president Joan Laporta has slammed the thinking behind the rule.
"Barca have Olympic spirit, but also that of the Champions League," he said. "We don't want to get into any argument with AFA president Julio Grondona.
"He has to understand Barca's interests, for which we also want understanding in what we are asking for.
"We hope the solution will be satisfactory."
Comments
let him go he is the chosen one jk but that is not right messi should be in the olympics
Posted by: oscar | July 25, 2008 11:59 AM
they should let him go because if they rely on one player for the wins in the preliminary rounds then they shouldn't be in the CHAMPION'S league.Barcelona are a rubbish team anyway nobody should care about what they say or think
Posted by: Shaquisha | July 25, 2008 02:42 PM
okay mate the way you think isn't right
Posted by: eiman | August 1, 2008 03:31 AM
sorry Oscar but it's true the way you think isn't right, why SHOULDN'T anyone care about what Barcelona thinks or says? & why should people care about what YOU think and say? It's already clear that nobody does anyway!
Posted by: eiman | August 1, 2008 03:36 AM