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 c...
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. Messi. 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.”
