The Vigil for Lionel Messi’s Ankle Begins

I was wondering not too long ago when the karma train would roll back around and decimate Barcelona—after all, their Great Unsettlement and Tap-Up Plan, Summer 2010 was the most irritating story to read each morning—and this morning, it seems like we have our first casualty.

In the 92nd minute of the Barca-Atletico game with Barca winning 2-1 and Lionel Messi galloping up the midfield, Czech defender Tomas Ujfalusi decided to reduce the Argentine starlet to a weeping mess on the Vicente Calderon turf. And boy, did he do just that.

Check the tape:

It’s not the first time that Ujfalusi has given Messi some aggro, either, as 101GG points out, but of course, Ujfalusi is not that kind of player. He’s just a work-hard, play-hard type who also loves the extra-curriculars.

Messi's leg: note how crowded the midfield is around that ankle

And so, Barca Nation holds its collective breath wondering how long their Messi Messiah is going to be confined to the sidelines. Initial estimates peg the injury as just “ligament damage” with no ankle break, which would add up to about two weeks of inactivity.

I’m no doctor, but when I see this picture at right, I think he’s lucky not to be out a lot longer. After all, Antonio Valencia’s tangle with Kirk Broadfoot was far less vicious, yet resulted in a mangled ankle and a long rehab spell.

The biggest question is whether or not Barcelona’s karmic debt is now repaid in full. Granted, another big issue arose, as reported by Four Four Two: the issue of protection. With Jose Mourinho complaining about opponents targeting CRon’s gimpy ankle and Gerard Pique accusing teams of “hunting” Messi, the Spanish press is wondering whether referees should be sheltering stars more on the pitch.

To this, I say a hearty non, as injuries and tackling are part of the game. Could you imagine that debate as applied to the EPL? No wonder the world’s best love playing in Spain. Everyone’s just so cuddly most of the time.

As for karma, I’d posit that having to tolerate Zlatan Ibrahimovic for a season could count towards any outstanding balance, though one more nasty injury might possibly atone for a summer of transfer jibber-jabber that overshadowed just about anything positive in the world of soccer.

I don’t wish these things on any team—even Manchester United—but really, they stole Javier Mascherano, the bastards, and as a blogger I feel insulated enough from the fact-based drudge of journalism to editorialize a touch. Must admit: I feel better now. Hope Messi does soon enough