UNO News Net: Lionel Messi blamed for Barcelona's defeat after running just a mile more than the KEEPER: ran 4.2 miles during the 1-0 Champions League loss to Atletico

Lionel Messi ran 4.2 miles during the 1-0 Champions League loss to Atletico
Coach Gerardo Martino was unable to affect the situation
Barcelona have played Atletico five times this season and not won
The Madrid side went through to the semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate

Lionel Messi’s failure to have any impact against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night and coach Gerardo Martino’s inability to do anything about it dominated the inquest into Barcelona’s dismal Champions League exit.
'He ran only one mile more than goalkeeper Pinto' ran one headline as post-match statistics revealed the Argentine had covered 4.2 miles during the game - half that of Atletico matchwinner Koke.
'We weren’t really interested in Leo having a lot of participation in the game' were the words that will come back to haunt Martino after the 1-0 defeat. He had been asked why Messi saw so little of the ball in Atletico's win.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Messi stopped and searched at airport on way to Atletico clash

Down and out: Lionel Messi was subdued as Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League to Atletico

One dimensional: Messi was restricted to the right wing rather than the roaming role he is used to

Comparison: Goalkeeper Jose Pinto covered just slightly less ground than Messi at the Vicente Calderon

More...

'We really only wanted him to have one-on-one opportunities down the right-hand side,' said the coach effectively ripping up the Pep Guardiola blueprint that has made Messi Barca’s fulcrum over the last six years.
The coach also underwhelmed when asked about the pattern of games against Atletico Madrid this season. In five matches Barca have scored twice and been unable to beat Diego Simeone’s team.
'I see no reason why the next match will be any different,' said Martino to the exasperation of most Barcelona supporters.
That next game against Atletico will be Barca’s last match of the domestic season and one they will probably need to win to retain their title.

Under fire: Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino was criticised for his deployment of Messi on Wednesday night

Over and out: Barcelona missed out on a place in the Champions League semi-finals to their Spanish rivals

Messi has failed to scored against Atletico in the five matches played and finished woefully from several opportunities in the Calderon on Wednesday night but the Argentine is the least of Barcelona’s problems.
They need to rebuild in defensive and goalkeeping positions but are prevented from doing so by their year-long transfer ban. Supporters will now put the club under huge pressure to bring in a new coach or even call elections and vote in a new president.
Only a win in next week’s Copa del Rey final will calm their supporters, but with Gerard Pique struggling for fitness and Victor Valdes definitely out their defensive frailties will mean they start the game as clear underdogs.

IS MESSI GETTING READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD WITH ARGENTINA?

For the first time since 2011, Messi has gone four games without scoring; the more revealing statistic, however, is the distance he covered on Wednesday night. There seem to be only two possible reasons behind a perceived lack of effort - one is that he was hampering an injury, the other is that he wants to keep as much in reserve for Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
Many players have appeared to do the same in recent years: Brazil legend Rivaldo had his worst season at Barca before excelling at the 2002 World Cup; and Zinedine Zidane was player of the tournament in 2006 after a relatively low-key finish to Real Madrid’s domestic season.
Messi has never quite replicated his Barcelona form on the international stage. For a player who has it all for his club, an end-of-season rest may an attempt to go for broke in Brazil.

Isaac Williams