Barcelona begin road trip without Messi

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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi/AFP PHOTO/PEDRO ARMESTRE

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi/AFP PHOTO/PEDRO ARMESTRE

A Barcelona side missing harmed Lionel Messi face Sporting Gijon in the first of three away amusements in a week, as they fight to keep pace with La Liga pioneers Real Madrid on Saturday.


Messi endured the repeat of a crotch strain in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that will keep the five-time World Player of the Year sidelined for the following three weeks.

His nonappearance could biggerly affect Argentina than Barca on the grounds that the two-time title holders will be without their chief for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.

Be that as it may, Spanish champions Barca have three dubious obstructions to overcome in the following week as they make a beeline for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League on Wednesday before another away trek to Celta Vigo next Sunday.

"We as a whole wish that he was with us. The group is more grounded with him than without him, yet these surprising circumstances happen," Barca skipper Andres Iniesta said on Thursday.

"Squads win titles. People help, yet it is the squad all in all that wins things."

Without Messi, Barca's other two star advances Luis Suarez and Neymar will be required to assume on additional liability — pretty much as they did in scoring 16 objectives in the six association recreations Messi missed amid a two-month damage cutback last season.

Sergio Busquets additionally fell off ahead of schedule against Atletico because of the eventual outcomes of a fever, yet ought to be fit to begin in Asturias.

Arda Turan is the most loved to supplant Messi in the wake of delegating capably on the opposite side of the Barca forefront when Neymar was truant toward the begin of the season as a result of his support in the Rio Olympics.

One recognizable face to Barca may not be accessible for Sporting because of a funny harm — on-credit Brazilian full-back Douglas harmed his hip when thinking about the group transport once more from a 2-1 annihilation to Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

– Real missing team –

Genuine Madrid's offered to make La Liga history with a seventeenth straight win missed the mark in midweek as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Villarreal.

Zinedine Zidane's men still hold a three-point lead over Barca, yet confront a cumbersome outing to the Canary Islands to face Las Palmas before a tremendous Champions League conflict against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

Madrid are likewise drained by harm: Brazilian couple Marcelo and Casemiro have been precluded for the following couple of weeks.

The European champions are shy of a characteristic supplanting in either position with Danilo set to nominate at left-back, while Toni Kroos is prone to drop into the most profound lying midfield part to clear a path for Luka Modric to return.

Las Palmas' fabulous begin to the season was fixed on Wednesday by a 4-1 whipping at Real Sociedad. Previous AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng will miss Madrid's visit subsequent to being sent-off in the main half in San Sebastian.

Second-set Sevilla could go top for no less than two or three hours when they go to confront the in-structure Athletic Bilbao prior on Saturday.

Atletico are the stand out of Spain's four Champions League agents not in real life till Sunday, when Deportivo la Coruna visit the Vicente Calderon in a battle still eclipsed by fan viciousness.

Two years prior a Deportivo fan was slaughtered in Madrid in pre-match conflicts between adversary ultra gatherings close to the Calderon.

Apparatuses (all times GMT)

Friday

Genuine Betis v Malaga (1845)

Saturday

Eibar v Real Sociedad (1100), Sporting Gijon v Barcelona (1415), Athletic Bilbao v Sevilla (1630), Las Palmas v Real Madrid (1845)

Sunday

Leganes v Valencia (1000), Atletico Madrid v Deportivo la Coruna (1415), Villarreal v Osasuna (1630), Espanyol v Celta Vigo (1845)

Monday

Alaves v Granada (1845)

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