Lionel Messi's trip to the Olympics could be over before it starts if three European clubs win an appeal against FIFA on Wednesday over the release of players. The FC Barcelona forward was training with his Argentina teammates Tuesday, but he could still be dropped from the squad if the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules in favor of the clubs on Wednesday.
The three teams want to keep their young players at home despite a FIFA rule that says any player under 23 can be called up to compete at the Olympics. Some of Argentina's group opponents, however, wouldn't mind seeing the 21-year-old Messi on the plane back to Spain.
Star-studded Argentina faces Ivory Coast, Australia and Serbia in the first round of the Beijing Games. The Ivorians, who play the defending champions from South America on Thursday, won't be talking until the eve of the game, but the coaches of Australia and Serbia admitted their own teams would have a better chance if Messi went home.
Asked whether he would prefer it if the clubs won their appeal and forced Messi to go back to Barcelona, Australia coach Graham Arnold gave a wry smile before answering. "Maybe they can take 10 other players as well," Arnold said.
"But that's more worrying to the Argentina dressing room than ours. We have to play whatever they put in front of us.
"Of course, if they miss Lionel Messi it would be better for us, but the quality of their squad and the players they have, they have a ready-made superstar replacement in his own right probably playing in Europe somewhere." Arnold believes, however, that Messi should be available to play in the competition.
"As a coach, he's under 23, he should be here. They are the FIFA rules as I see them," said Arnold, whose team meets Argentina on Sunday.
"It's not for me to make the decision, it's in FIFA's hands. It must be a very difficult situation for the Argentina coach (Sergio Batista) at this moment, not knowing whether he has got him or he hasn't.
" Serbia coach Miroslav Djukic, whose team meets Argentina in Beijing on Aug. 13, would prefer that Messi showed his greatness playing for Barcelona instead of Argentina.
"It would be great if he were to enjoy Barcelona in the next few days and that he plays big performances for Barcelona and not for Argentina," Djukic said. Besides Messi, Werder Bremen is trying to keep Diego from playing, and Schalke is hoping to stop Rafinha from taking part.
Both Diego and Rafinha play for Brazil. Argentina, which also has talented playmaker Juan Ramon Riquelme in the squad, is one of the favorites along with Brazil, which has Ronaldinho and hopes to capture the one title it has never won.
The football competition kicks off a day before the opening ceremony in Beijing because it lasts so long. Sixteen teams, split into four groups, start the competition.
The final is set for the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 23.
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