Messi Happy While Barça Stars Accept Decision

The 21-year-old flew from Italy to Paris and then on to Shanghai on Thursday morning after FIFA ordered the Catalan club to release him for international duty.

Controversy has surounded Messi's participation in the event with Barcelona insisting that they wanted hm to play in at least one leg of their Champions League qualifiers next month.

"I have always said I want to play for the national team and I want to thank the club for the way they have been with me," he told reporters after the game in Florence.

Club captain Xavi Hernández admitted that the Blaugrana were powerless once FIFA had insisted that all clubs release their Under-23 players.

"We want Messi to be here and Argentina want him there. He is a decisive player and we cannot do anything. FIFA is that one that decides," he told the club's official website.

Gerard Piqué agreed with his skipper and stated that the ruling was unfair,but that he understood Argentina's desire to have the exciting forward in their side.

"The players have to stay out of things, but from our point of view we think its unfair that Messi cannot play with us, but for them it is also important to have him. We have to accept the decision," he added.

Guardiola Pleased With Viola Display

The Blaugrana boss saw Carles Puyol, Jeffren and Bojan Krkic all score to give his side a third consecutive pre-season triumph, but he was equally concerned with other areas.

Having worked with the squad in Scotland, Guardiola is now seeing the fruits of his early labours and was impressed with his team kept their shape in Italy.

"Positionally we have done well in every area," he said. "The movement of the ball was also good despite the fact that the pitch was very slow and that caused us problems.

"We have won against a good side. I think the team is playing at a good level. In general, that gives us a certain confidence to confront the next few games."

Lionel Messi started as the central striker and Guardiola explained that he just wanted to test the player in an unfamiliar position while he could.

"He is a strong player mentally and I wanted to see him that position. These are pre-season games and the time to try things," he continued.

FIFA ordered Barça to release Messi and the forward was due to fly to Shanghai on Thursday morning to meet up with his international team-mates ahead of the Olympic Games.

"I have the feeling that with Messi were a bit strong and I do not think that I am wrong in the assumption," Guardiola joked.

"But we will live without Messi. If in the end he does come back then we will still qualify for the Champions League. When he does return he will be welcomed back with open arms."

Guardiola Prepares For Life Without Eto'o

Statements from the player's agent this morning indicated that Samuel himself still feels that he's going to move on, and Guardiola is apparently acting with this firmly in mind.

Yesterday Guardiola conducted one of his regular meetings with sporting director Txiki Begiristain, and Sport.es claims that he did so in order to re-iterate the need for a new 'number 9.'

Emmanuel Adebayor is still on the agenda, but Chelsea's Didier Drogba may currently top the shopping list due to his apparent wish to join Barça last year.

Eto'o, meanwhile, is likely to be on the way out if Guardiola has anything to do with it, although the two seem to get along just fine in training.

Laporta Upset Over Messi Incident

Leo was only allowed to head to Beijing after FIFA intervened and said that the Argentine must be allowed to represent his country.

Laporta said that this was "unfair" and that he intended to take the matter all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS/TAS).

"We will continue with our position before the CAS in order to get Messi back for the Champions League," he said.

"It's unfair because this is not a tournament where a first team is used, but rather an Olympic one with an amateur spirit."

He further added that it would make no sense to turn the Games into "another World Cup."

To this end the president is keen to state that this is far from over, and that "if the TAS finds in favour of the club, Messi will have to come back."

Nonetheless he added that his intention here was not to harm in any way the young Argentine, who is keen to represent the albiceleste.

Messi Leaves Barça To Go To Olympics

Football's global governing body announced that all clubs must release their Under-23 players that have been called up to play in the tournament and Messi has acted immediately.

After staying quiet on the subject while he waited for Barça and Argentina to reach an agreement, the 21-year-old spoke out and stated that he would follow what FIFA decided.

If Barcelona then appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS) and are successful, then Messi admits that he would grudgingly have to return to Camp Nou.

"I want to clear things up," he told Barça's official website. "I understand that position of the club because we are playing for so much. From the start I have said that I want to play for my national team and at no time have there been any problems until now.

"I am waiting to see what FIFA says and if they say I do not have to go then I will not go and if they say I have to go then I will go without waiting for the outcome of the TAS, because that would be too late and my team-mates and the national team coaching staff are waiting for me.

"If once I am there, TAS says that I have to return then I will return, but for the time being I want to be with my national team and my colleagues."

Messi is keen to play for Argentina, but claims that he realises why Barcelona are so keen to not see him have another draining summer to cope with.

"Barça maintain their position to not let me go and I understand that and I think they are right, but I also think that they have to understand that my dream is to play for my country at the Olympic Games," he added.

"I have already been told that was not on, that the national team did not want that, which is normal because they want a group of players to work with the whole time."

Eto'o Still Angry With Barça

The Blaugrana president explained that he, and the coaching staff, had been impressed with the player's attitude in pre-season and that plans to sell him could be scrapped.

But that has been met with indifference by Eto'o who is said to still be angry about Pep Guardiola's public announcement that he was no longer in his plans, according to reports in Spain.

After spending four years at Camp Nou, the 27-year-old felt that he should have been spoken to first by the club rather than have to read the decision in the media.

"There is no need for an appraisal of those words and we will talk about them," Eto'o's agent, José María Mesalles said of Laporta's apparent u-turn..

"Samuel's situation is exactly the same as it was before the president said that."

Eto'o has said that his first choice would be to stay at the club and see out the remaining two years on his contract and is making his departure complciated with his high wage demands.

Along with Barça's €30m asking price, the former Real Mallorca goalscorer wants around €8m-per-season from any interested parties and that has already seen various clubs decide not to bid.

Having returned from an extended summer holiday, Eto'o travelled with the Blaugrana squad to Scotland and impressed enoug to now be included for the friendly against Fiorentina and the trip to the United States.

Barça Track Ghanaian Youngster

The under-20 Ghanaian international currently plays as a right back for Asante Kotoko FC and after helping the club win their 20^th league title, his impressive and consistent performances have caught the eye of the Barcelona scouts.

According to Ghana’s Daily Guide Sports, the Catalans are enchanted by his style of play, especially with his surging runs down the flank, a characteristic for fullbacks that is held in high regard in La Liga.

The Blaugrana are reportedly ready to splash the cash to bring him to the Camp Nou and not only will he be able to provide back-up for the first team, but his daily training lessons at El Masía with the rest of the squad will undoubtedly help him develop in leaps and bounds.

Maradona Blasts Messi Over Olympics Farce

Messi faced a tough dilemma over the club v country debate with regards to Argetina’s Olympics and Barcelona’s pre-season and Champions League preliminaries.

The Blaugrana stopped the genius from going to China but Maradona believes Messi should have put his country first.

"You should never snub your country and you should always wear the jersey for life," Maradona told Marca.

"He should have put his Barcelona wages aside and play for his country."

It’s the second time within a week that Maradona has taken a swipe at Messi.

The 1986 World Cup winner recently stated that Messi needs to grow up and show some character.

Messi did state his ambition to play for his country in China but he was not able to overcome the Blaugrana’s resistance as the club shackled him with the Champions League in mind.

Touré: Drogba Wants To Join Us

Speaking to Sport.es, the Ivorian midfielder revealed that his countryman previously indicated an interest in Barça.

"I've not spoken to him in a few weeks, but last year he was always telling me that he wanted to come to Barcelona," said Touré.

While such comments may have come during the difficult days of José Mourinho's leaving Chelsea and Avram Grant's installation as boss, nonetheless it could be the case that Drogba retains a soft spot for the blaugrana.

There he could potentially replace Samuel Eto'o as the Cameroonian's own transfer dramas continue.

For his part, Touré described his "respect" for Samuel, adding that he is "a good person with great character. He works and helps a lot.

"We want him to continue with us. If he stays, that's good news. He's a very positive person and he'd like to carry on here. In Scotland he played both pre-season games and showed a positive mentality."

This was partially down to the input of new coach Pep Guardiola. Yaya said of the new boss, "the best thing now is that we are all focused on the same goal" after the "problems" of last year.