MADRID: Lionel Messi’s (pictured) Barcelona team-mates will take on the rare challenge of coping without their talismanic World Player of the Year when the La Liga leaders host relegation-threatened Real Mallorca tomorrow.
The Argentina forward damaged a hamstring in Tuesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw at Paris St Germain and has been ruled out of the clash at the Nou Camp (2000 GMT) when Barca will seek to protect their 13-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid.
Messi’s importance to the Catalan giants extends beyond his goal-scoring exploits.
As well as netting 43 of Barca’s 90 goals in La Liga and eight of 17 in the Champions League this season, he has provided a total of 13 assists in the two competitions, second only to Andres Iniesta, who has one more. The last time Barca lost Messi to injury was in November 2009 when he was out for a week and missed a Champions League Group F game at home to Inter Milan which Barca won 2-0. Reuters
