4 ways in which Messi's injury could benefit Barcelona

#1 It would help Lionel Messi return sharper and stronger

Messi would return sharper and fitter

Unlike a lot of his teammates, Lionel Messi did not have the luxury of a full summer break. His participation in the Copa America with Argentina meant that while most of his Barcelona colleagues were stretching around and relaxing on sunny beaches after a long year of footballing activity, he had to take in an extra one month of competitive action.

That one month saw him play all 90 minutes of Argentina’s first five fixtures, as well as the first 43 of their third-place playoff with Chile before a red card ended his campaign prematurely.

That combined for a total of 493 minutes of gruelling football in the physically demanding Copa America, and this added to the 45 minutes Messi played in Argentina's warm-up game against Nicaragua meant that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner spent an extra 538 minutes in action during the summer.

Though he was given an extended two-week break before resuming for Barcelona, the fact of the matter is that Lionel Messi's extra exertions at the Copa America meant that he did not adequately recover from the last season.

Adequate rest is essential to the peak performance of any professional athlete, and while he might still be undergoing intensive recovery sessions, Lionel Messi would undoubtedly return fitter and stronger as a result of the extra time out of action.