Lionel Messi ignores the ball at start of Barcelona games so he can scout out the opposition’s defenders

DESPITE his absolute genius with it, Lionel Messi has no interest in the football during the first few minutes of a match.

Instead, that time is reserved for the Barcelona superstar to scout out the opposition.

Talking to the Financial Times, Nou Camp boss Ernesto Valverde revealed why Messi “ignores” the ball early on.

He says the No 10 “takes a reconnaissance walk” around the opposition defence.

There, he notes exactly each man’s position. Valverde said: “Then, as the game advances, he gets in little by little.

“But he knows perfectly where the rivals’ weaknesses are.”

There is no denying it works.

During one El CLasico in December 2017, Messi walked for 83 per cent of the game and “ran” for only 4.95 per cent of the time.

However, he managed to create nine chances, score a goal and register an assist.

Messi, now 32, shows no signs of slowing down this season.

He was filmed training alone in a sand pit kicking balls through a small rectangular net hanging down from end of the goalposts.

The attention to detail was amazing.

It is not enough for Messi to hit the target but to put the ball through a small area of it.

The Argentina star is battling to be fit having been ruled out of Barcelona’s pre-season tour of America with a calf injury.