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Messi leaving for Beijing after FIFA order

Simon Baskett
MADRID
Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:16am EDT
Barcelona's Lionel Messi laughs during their soccer training session in St Andrews, east Scotland July 21, 2008. REUTERS/David Moir

MADRID (Reuters) - Lionel Messi will leave for Beijing later on Thursday to join up with Argentina's Olympic squad after FIFA ordered Barcelona to release their forward.

FIFA rules say clubs must allow players aged 23 or under to take part in the Games despite claims from Barcelona and German teams Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 they are under no obligation to do so for an event outside FIFA's international match calendar.

Barcelona said on Thursday that Messi, 21, would be accompanied on the trip by a member of the coaching staff.

The club have said they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision of world soccer's governing body and will oblige the player to return to Spain if CAS ruled in their favor.

Barcelona want the influential forward, who has been in sparkling form in pre-season friendlies, to play in their Champions League third round qualifier in the second week of August.

The rest of the Barcelona squad left for a promotional tour of the United States on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola's team will play games against Mexican side Chivas and New York Red Bulls in a week-long tour before returning to prepare for the Champions League tie.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)


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