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BARCELONA – 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.
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.
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.
Barca remains 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. (AFP)
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