Argentina manager accuses Barcelona of failing to take care of Lionel Messi

The star is currently suffering from a torn groin muscle that is expected to keep him out of the game for the next three weeks

Lionel Messi has suffered from a groin injury in recent weeks (Getty)

Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza has criticised Barcelona’s handling of Lionel Messi after the player picked up an injury during the side’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid last Wednesday.

The club revealed that their star man suffered a torn groin muscle that will keep him out of the game for the next three weeks.

This setback is expected to keep Messi out of Argentina’s upcoming South American World Cup qualifiers against both Peru and Paraguay.

"Barcelona always sends us messages saying that we must take care of Messi, but they don't take care of him very well," Bauza told Fox Sports.

"It is strange that they make him play every game with the problems that he has.”

Messi was suffering from a strained groin in the last international break and Bauza has blamed Barcelona for aggravating the injury by forcing the player to play through the pain in recent weeks.

After being forced to miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela on September 6, Messi went on to play four straight matches for Barcelona all within the space of 12 days.

Bauza has challenged the club’s assessment that the recovery time for the player’s injury will be three weeks.

"We received the official report from Barcelona. To us, that seems strange because three weeks is not enough time to repair a torn adductor," Bauza told ESPN Radio.

"We haven't yet been able to speak with him, but we want to know how serious the injury is.

“For me, Messi will not be able to play in the knockout games. We hope it's not serious and that in three weeks he'll be playing again. We're already thinking about playing the games without him.”