Madrid - Spanish giants Barcelona announced Thursday they would, after all, allow Lionel Messi to stay at the Olympic football tournament with the Argentine team.
The Argentine football federation, in return, has agreed to take out an insurance policy to cover Messi against injury in Beijing - and also not to call him up for any international friendly matches this season.
Barcelona could have demanded that Messi return from China to play for them in the Champions League qualifying round, but have decided not to do so, partly because it was clear that the young forward wanted to stay on with his national team.
Messi celebrated the news by scoring Argentina's first goal in their 2-1 debut defeat of Ivory Coast on Thursday.
Coach Josep Guardiola and technical secretary Txiki Begiristain explained their decision to the media in Barca's Camp Nou stadium on Thursday afternoon.
Guardiola, who helped Spain to win the Olympic football tournament in Barcelona in 1992, said that "I hope he doesn't get injured... and that he returns with a gold medal." (dpa)
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