Football news - Ernesto Valverde plays down Lionel Messi injury worry

Messi had missed the start of the season with a calf injury picked up during Argentina's Copa America campaign and admitted after winning FIFA's The Best award that he was still feeling rusty.

Nonetheless, he started the clash at Camp Nou and created the first goal of the game but was soon receiving treatment for a groin problem.

He played on until the break but was replaced by Ousmane Dembele at half-time but Valverde said the decision to withdraw him was merely precautionary.

After years of playing nigh-on every minute for club and country, there can be no doubting that this string of injuries is somewhat worrying for Messi, who had seemed impervious to the niggles that affect mere mortals.

It would obviously be folly to write off such a unique talent but there is a worrying pattern emerging. Midway through last season, he suffered a pelvic injury on international duty and the two subsequent problems sustained paint a picture of a man succumbing to the inevitable pangs of age.

The performance against Villarreal showed the importance of Messi to Barcelona's play. Until his injury, they looked to be at their fluid best but afterwards, the jitters that have hampered the start of their season were there for all to see.

Despite their embarrassment of attacking talent - Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and even Dembele would be an automatic pick at any club in the world - Messi is the man who makes Barcelona tick.