BARCELONA
Messi: which games will injured star miss?
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi faces a spell on the sidelines - here's the lowdown on the fixtures he's to sit out for club and country. Sporting vs Barcelona
Barcelona ace Lionel Messi limped out of the Catalan side's 1-1 LaLiga draw with Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night after suffering a groin strain.
Following the final whistle at the Camp Nou, Barça issued a medical report confirming he is to be out "for around three weeks".
Messi out of Sporting, Moenchengladbach and Celta games
Barça expect him to miss each of their next three games: Saturday's league clash away to Sporting Gijón, Wednesday's Champions League trip to face Borussia Moenchengladbach, and their top-flight match at Celta Vigo on Sunday week.
Also sidelined for Argentina double-header
With World Cup qualifiers coming up with Argentina, Messi is additionally set to sit out his country's fixtures against Peru on 7 October and Paraguay five days later.
In contention for comeback against Depor
He then appears in the frame for a potential return to action on the conclusion of the international break.
Barça host Deportivo La Coruña in LaLiga on 15 October, before a glamour European match-up with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on the 19th, and a league visit to Valencia on the 22nd.