Barcelona could be without Lionel Messi when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League next Tuesday. The Argentine forward sustained a calf injury in pre-season and missed their tour of the USA as a result.
Messi is yet to feature for the Catalan giants this term and he is now expected to sit out the La Liga clash with Valencia on Saturday.
It has also been claimed the 32-year-old will miss the tough trip to Germany to take on Borussia Dortmund in their first Champions League Group F match.
Related: Valverde Plays Down Messi Fears
Barca have struggled in Messi’s absence as they sit in eighth place in La Liga with just four points to show from three games so far.
The Camp Nou club are only a point behind fierce rivals Real Madrid, but they are already five points behind title hopefuls Atletico Madrid, who have made a perfect start to the season.
Barca will be expected to qualify from their Champions League group as they look to make a statement in Europe after last year’s semi-final heartache – but progress to the next round shouldn’t be taken for granted.
The La Liga champions will face a stern test against Dortmund, particularly if Messi does miss out, and they have also been drawn against Italian heavyweights Inter Milan in the group stages.
Czech outfit Slavia Prague complete Group F and they should not be underestimated, despite being the underdogs, after their run to the last eight of the Europa League last season.
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