Barcelona breaking the mould

Barcelona could have a secret advantage when they face Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday after it was revealed they have been DNA testing their players including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.Sportsmail understands Barca are pioneering DNA use in football, with the club’s players having undergone tests to determine who is more likely to suffer injuries and get hurt.Barcelona doctor Ricard Pruna is overseeing the ground breaking approach to player welfare at the club.Pruna has been taking saliva through swabs in the players’ mouths and studying45 different genes. The DNA in the saliva allows the club to work out muscle problems and to put together fitness programmes tailored for each player.As a result, the club can tell if a player has greater muscle injury prevalence or a normal prevalence.Swedish doctor Matilda Lundblad is working on a research project with Pruna. She said: ‘It is very sci-fi. Doctor Ricard and I are looking at the genes in saliva andfinding ways to individualise fitness programmes.’