Argentina star Lionel Messi has been dealt a new injury blow ahead of a big European game for his club, Paris Saint-Germain.
The 35-year-old is running out of opportunities to add to his array of Champions League titles, after falling short in the round of 16 last season. He has been on target in the two most recent group games against Maccabi Haifa and Benfica, but looks set to miss out on the return game against the Portuguese giants.
Messi recently admitted the upcoming World Cup will almost certainly be his last, presenting a final chance to win a trophy which narrowly eluded him in 2014. And he will hope to make a swift recovery to play a full part in Qatar.
According to Le Parisien (via Get French Football News ), Messi wasn't involved in PSG's Monday training session, all but ruling him out of the home game against Benfica on Tuesday. The former Barcelona star had sat out Saturday's goalless draw against Reims, but there was hope he might be able to return after a "minor" calf problem.
With Messi missing and Neymar only appearing from the bench, PSG started with a front three of Kylian Mbappe, Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler against Reims. However, they were unable to find a breakthrough, after playing more than 45 minutes a man down thanks to Sergio Ramos' red card.
PSG and Benfica are both unbeaten in Europe this season, and drew 1-1 at Estadio da Luz with Messi on target for the French side. Victories in their next two group games, at home to Benfica and Maccabi Haifa, would ensure Christophe Galtier's side top their group with a game to spare and guarantee a favourable season in the last 16.
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"If it is my last World Cup? Yes, surely yes, surely yes," Messi told Star+ earlier in the month. "I feel good physically, I can have a very good pre-season this year that I hadn't done the year before because of how everything went."
Messi joined PSG late in the summer 2021 transfer window, having expected to renew his deal with Barcelona. He ended up scoring just 11 goals all season - his lowest return in more than a decade - but already has eight this time around.
"I started training late, playing without rhythm, with the tournament already started," he continued. "Then I went to the national team, when I came back I had an injury and I never finished starting."
"I am counting the days for the World Cup. The truth is, there is a little anxiety of wanting it to be now and the nerves of saying, 'well, we're here, what's going to happen, it's the last one, how is it going to go'. And, yes, on the one hand we can't wait for it to arrive, and on the other the s*** of wanting it to go fine."
