Barcelona star Lionel Messi will be
sidelined for the next three weeks due to a groin strain, dealing a huge
blow to his club and country.
“To lose Lionel Messi means football loses and we lose,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.
Messi limped off just before the hour mark of the Spanish champions’ 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
The Argentine captain is set to miss his
country’s World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Paraguay next month as
well as Barca’s Champions League clash at Borussia Moenchengladbach
will also sit on the Catalans’ La Liga trips to Sporting Gijon and Celta Vigo.
However, Messi should be fit in time for
a reunion with old boss Pep Guardiola when Manchester City visit the
Camp Nou on Champions League duty on October 19.
The five-time World Player of the Year
missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifier with Venezuela earlier this month
due to the problem and only started Barca’s shock 2-1 defeat to Alaves
10 days ago on the bench as coach Luis Enrique bedded him back into
action gently.
we have to look for other solutions,”
added Enrique. “With Leo we are much stronger, but without him we are
still a strong team.”
Barca coped remarkably well with eight
wins from 10 games when Messi was sidelined by a hamstring injury for
two months last season.
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