Barcelona's Argentina striker Lionel Messi will be out of action for six weeks after tearing a muscle in his left leg during Tuesday night's Champions League victory over Celtic.
The Catalan club confirmed on Wednesday that Messi will miss both legs of Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final encounter.
It will also be a race against time for the 2007 World Player of the Year runner-up to be fit for the semi-finals if Barcelona get past an opponent who will be named after the draw on March 14.
Messi picked up the injury after 34 minutes during Barcelona's 1-0 win over the Scottish side, which booked their spot in the quarter-finals by easing through 4-2 on aggregate.
It is third time in the last three years that Messi has had the same injury, the last occasion being on December 15 against Valencia, which ruled him out of the 'El Clasico' derby the following week against Real Madrid.
In addition to his chronic problems with his left thigh, Messi has had four other significant injuries in the last two years which have caused him to miss a month or more.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was forced, under intense questioning from the media, to defend the club's medical services in the wake of Messi's latest injury on Tuesday night.
"To doubt that they are doing their best is an insult. The medical staff and the club in general are working to prevent these sort of problems. They are working hard but there is always a player that can be injured," said Rijkaard.
Messi's injury reopens the door for Thierry Henry to claim his place in the starting lineup.
The Frenchman has rarely impressed since his big-money move from English Premiership side Arsenal to the Spanish giants last summer.
Rijkaard also has other options to replace Messi on the right flank in the shape of Portuguese international Deco or teenage Mexican winger Giovanni Dos Santos.
reference: javno.com/en/sports/clanak.php?id=129366
1 yorum:
That was a hard moment for Messi, this happens for most of the players, thank God he recovered from that lesson and kept the same good level.
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