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.
Messi 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.
“Now 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.
And Enrique hopes his side can show similar
resilience to avoid slipping further behind Real
Madrid in the title race.
“Last year we had an unfortunate situation
with a longer-term injury and my team played
well.”
Barca remain three points behind Madrid at
the top of La Liga after Angel Correa’s
equaliser seconds after Messi limped off
handed Atletico a share of the spoils at the
Camp Nou.
Ivan Rakitic headed Barca into the lead just
before half-time, but Atletico marshalled
Messi’s star strike partners Luis Suarez and
Neymar well in his absence to hold out for a
point.
Suarez, though, insisted he and the Brazilian
can step up as they did without Messi last
season.
“It is a difficult injury that hurts and leaves
you sad,” said Suarez. “Now we have to take
responsibility.”
Suarez was involved in a battle of his own as
he was booked for a clash with Atletico left-
back Filipe Luis six minutes from time.
Luis posted a photo of a stud mark piercing
his bleeding foot on his official Instagram page
after the match with the message: “Just as
well he didn’t touch me.”
However, Suarez lambasted Luis for not
reacting likewise when he was sent-off for a
brutal challenge on Messi when the sides
clashed back in January.
“This is football, it is a man’s game and what
happens on the pitch stays on the pitch,”
added Suarez.
“You can’t make a show of things every time
something happens. Last year he didn’t post a
picture of Messi. I repeat, football is for men.”
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