There was a collective panic when Lionel Messi went down injured in Barcelona 0-0 Champions League draw with Benfica. The world's best player clutched his knee and was eventually carted off the field, leading most to assume the worst, but the first word out of Barcelona appears to be good.
Messi: apparently the first impressions are that is nothing serious. But lets see what medical report says
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) December 5, 2012
If true, Messi, Barcelona and the entire world can take a deep breath. Nobody wants to see the superstar hurt and it did not look good when he had to be carted off, but a few weeks on the sidelines is a manageable absence.
Barcelona has never really had to deal with a Messi-less life before. The Argentine constantly defies physics on the ball and he does the same with his health, taking tackles and collisions like they are nothing. He has not missed an extended period of time since 2006, when he was still an up-and-coming player, not an established star.
This is still an early report and Messi has not been evaluated in-depth yet, but it is good news to start.