Is Messi's over-zealous work ethic costing him?

It was early April this year. Messi picked up a hamstring strain in the 2-2 draw in Paris last week and was withdrawn at half-time, having given Barcelona the lead just before the break. This was not the first time we had seen him limping off the field during his career. He suffered similar thigh muscle problems in his early professional career in the period of 2006-2008, in Champion League matches against Chelsea and Celtic to recall some. However such strains and injury problems became somewhat extinct after the Barcelona's physio and his assisting team, alongwith the Argentina's national team physio, devised a diet plan and strict fitness schedule for him to follow that would keep him away from straining his muscle. The plan worked, and Messi started enjoying some injury-less seasons, scoring a plethora of mesmerizing goals, making jaw-dropping mazy runs with the ball at his feet and conquering almost everything he could at the club football level in the process.

Frank Rijkard, Pep Guardiola and subsequently Tito Vilanova were faced with this problem of how and when to sub Messi to bench. With his improving performances and the importance he had in the team, he became an undoubted feature in almost all the matches.What’s more, for Barcelona fans Messi’s status as the “Messiah” means that he is virtually impossible to drop from the team, as we can see from the barracking received by Rijkaard when Messi was rested against Atlético in 2008, in spite of the declaration on the part of Frank Rijkaard’s assistant Johan Neeskens, before kick-off, that Messi’s muscle was slightly overburdened. The subsequent coaches were even more cautious in their attempt not to sadden the best player on their team and probably in the whole world. So far so good. His physical condition also supported him. Even after the constant kicking and tackling he is faced with week-in week-out, he got up everytime, and continued weaving his magic. We forgot about the injuries, and so did him.

But that was until the quarter-final clash against PSG, where he pulled his hamstring again, and had to be substituted. The injury didn't seem very serious at the time, and he started fighting with time to be ready for the second leg encounter. And so did he. He made a second half cameo performance and played an important role in pegging the all important winning goal for his team. But, in the process, he just aggravated his injury, and it just became worse, to the extent that he could not feature in any of the major matches of the remaining season.

He started gaining his fitness in the summers, which was a good sign both for both Barcelona and Argentina, considering the importance of the upcoming season which ultimately leads to the World Cup. He was supposed to take a vacation and get some rest for the early half of the break. But instead, he worked out for extended hours and played numerous charity matches during the period. In spite of being lauded for such a work ethic and the importance he gives to social cause, he hardly helped himself and his body muscles, which are bound to get burnt-out after the jam packed schedule and the consistent featuring in all the matches. The result being his latest thigh muscle problem he felt in the team's clash against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.

Messi's most recent injury scare in Spanish Supercup first leg against Atletico Madrid

Serious or not, doesn't matter. The important point of discussion here is different altogether. With such a packed schedule where he plays 60 odd matches a year for the club and an additional 10-12 matches for the country in far-flung lands, and that too featuring for complete 90 minutes in majority of them, any person on this planet could tire his body and face such problems, leave aside Messi, who has his history because of the growth deficiency hormone problem and the subsequent medical treatments.

As the the new coach "Tata" Martino correctly claims, even Messi needs to be rested during the season, as do other players. Be it a matter of work ethic or his ego, he needs to accept the fact that he needs to spare some playing time against weaker teams, or in matches where they claim a comfortable position early into the match, so that he can be fully fresh and healthy for the all-important final stages of the season, when they compete for cup finals and eventually he competes for the glorious World Cup 2014 in Brazil, the trophy which could establish him in history books as the greatest of all times.With him entering into this year which could be the most important career of his year, Messi and the coach, both need to understand and accept this fact. If they do, both Barcelona and Argentina can reap the benefits and reclaim their glory days in Europe and the World respectively.