4 ways in which Messi's injury could benefit Barcelona

#2 It would help in facilitating Antoine Griezmann’s transition

Griezmann scored a brace on his Nou Camp debut

After one of the more long, drawn-out transfer speculations of the summer, Barcelona finally signed Antoine Griezmann when they triggered the full value of his release clause at €120m.

The French international is one of the best players in the world, and has the potential to take Barcelona to another level, but his arrival was not greeted with as much fanfare as is befitting a player of his calibre.

A major reason for this was that fans had not entirely been won over after the 28-year-old publicly humiliated them by turning down the club’s pursuit despite Barcelona’s board and players making it abundantly clear that they wanted him.

Indeed, the senior players including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were less forthcoming this time around about Griezmann’s arrival which went in contrast to their open arm plea last summer.

Griezmann himself had said that a major reason why he spurned the chance to come to Barcelona was that he did not want to be Messi's lieutenant, having enjoyed a starring role at Atletico Madrid.

Beyond what was said or done in the past, the reality now is that Griezmann is very much a Barcelona player, and it would be in all parties’ interests if he were to settle down quickly at the club.

The chances of that happening (at least on the field) with Messi around is rather slim, because as already highlighted, everything revolves around the Argentine, and it is somewhat up to the whims and caprices of Messi to determine if Griezmann gets to shine on the field or not which is exactly what the World Cup winner meant by being his lieutenant.

Messi’s absence through injury has afforded Griezmann the chance to take centre stage, and it is one he has taken with aplomb.

The former Atletico Madrid man is a player of undoubted quality and in his Camp Nou debut grabbed a brace and an assist to endear him to the Barcelona faithful.

For the next four weeks, Griezmann would get the chance to be the captain of the ship, and if he steps up to the plate, his transition phase into Barcelona acceptance would undoubtedly be much easier.