FC Barcelona received a significant setback as Lionel Messi will be sidelined for at least three weeks due to injury. The Argentine star underwent an MRI on Sunday following his injury during Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Almeria on Saturday. Despite Messi’s goal in that game, he had to be substituted due to thigh pain.
Messi’s absence will force him to miss crucial matches, including those against Valladolid, Osasuna, and the upcoming Champions League fixtures. There is uncertainty about his availability for the Champions League return match against AC Milan, but he aims to return, at the latest, for the first El Clasico of the year against Real Madrid on October 27.
With Messi sidelined, the question arises whether Neymar will be able to shoulder the attacking responsibilities for Barcelona in the absence of the four-time Ballon d’Or winner. The team will have to adjust its tactics and lineup to compensate for the absence of their talismanic forward during this period.
