Lionel Messi will miss Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 trip to Monaco on Saturday with a hamstring injury, raising concerns that he may not be fit in time for his team’s Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich next week.
PSG confirmed on Friday that the Argentine World Cup winner had suffered the injury in the club’s 2-1 defeat against Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday and would continue to undergo treatment over the next 48 hours.
They added that Messi would return to training on Monday, the eve of the last-16 first leg against Bayern in Paris.
PSG coach Christophe Galtier played down concerns that the 35-year-old may not be ready in time for that huge game.
“Leo will not be available for the match against Monaco but he will be back in training on Monday so you can forget about him being a doubt,” Galtier told reporters.
“We know the importance of Leo to the way we play. With his absence we will maybe need to play in a different way, make sure we have a more compact and solid spine.
“Obviously, when you go to Monaco without Leo, it is unfortunate, but that is just part of what happens in a season.”
The French champions are already without Kylian Mbappe for the meeting with Monaco and the Bayern first leg as he recovers from a thigh injury and they have several other players on the sidelines too.
On Friday, they announced that playmaker Marco Verratti would also not travel to Monaco as he requires treatment for discomfort around his left hip.
PSG have struggled to rediscover their best form since the World Cup, losing three times already in all competitions in 2023.
“You think you have a balanced squad and then all of a sudden you get fatigue, suspensions, injuries. These injuries often happen when you have a lot of matches,” Galtier added.
“Without looking for excuses there was also the World Cup in the middle of the season which means lots of players are tired.”
PSG are eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 before their meeting with fourth-placed Monaco in the principality.
Source: The Straits Times
BDST: 1246 HRS, FEB 11, 2023
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