[FC Barcelona]] star Lionel Messi shall definitely participate in next month's Olympics after football's world governing body FIFA asked his club not to stop the player from playing for his nation Argentina in the Olympics.

Lionel Messi said that last month that he would play for his nation in Beijing in August but Barcelona were not so eager to let the player go on international duty during the month as that would have then signaled that Messi would have to miss the club's UEFA Champions League matches.

But FIFA intervened in the matter and have now ordered to let Messi go and play. Messi is 20 years of age and therefore cannot be denied by Barcelona the chance to play in the Olympics.

Should Messi return from China injured, then you can well imagine the fury it would cause in Catalunya. The club versus row would raise its ugly head again.