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Messi to miss Rio Olympics: Martino

Xinhua, February 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lionel Messi will miss this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro to remain fresh for Argentina's World Cup qualifying campaign, national team coach Gerardo Martino said on Monday.

Argentina will contest the Copa America in June and the Olympic Games in August, and Martino suggested the continental tournament would take precedence.

"We have the Copa America, the Olympic Games and three World Cup qualifiers in September. It would be asking too much of him to have him in all three competitions," Martino told Argentine radio station La Red.

The former Barcelona manager added that each of the Albiceleste's three permitted over-23 players in Rio would likely be defenders.

Messi was a part of the Argentina team that won the 2008 Olympic football tournament in Beijing. The Albiceleste did not qualify for the competition four years later in London. Endit