Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Paris St Germain’s match against Montpellier as he has now no longer fully recovered from a bone bruising damage, but manager Mauricio Pochettino hopes he returns for his or her midweek match against Manchester Metropolis.
Messi suffered a knock on his left knee and an MRI scan earlier this week confirmed indicators of a bone contusion. He omitted PSG’s 2-1 victory at Metz on Wednesday.
The 34-year-aged Argentine forward, who joined the French club from Barcelona on a two-year contract in August, will be assessed again on Sunday — sooner than the Champions League dwelling sport against Metropolis on Tuesday.
“Messi has began to bustle at the sleek time… We’ll assess him and we hope he improves,” Pochettino told newshounds on Friday.
Mauricio Pochettino talks about:
▪️ The well being of Leo Messi ▪️ The feature of @MauroIcardi pic.twitter.com/7RIrcLnkgk
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 24, 2021
“On Sunday, we would be in a attach of residing to present a clear update. We hope the entirety goes well and he’ll be on the market again… Yes, we hope he can play (against Metropolis). We must be cautious.”
Pochettino acknowledged the Metropolis match will now no longer affect his need on Saturday, with Angel Di Maria anticipated to play the league sport as he remains suspended in the Champions League after his red card in last season’s semis against the Premier League facet.
“We can inspect, there are quite so a lot of choices and quite so a lot of programs. We can inspect who gives the team the fitting steadiness. We also maintain the flexibleness to alternate as we inch,” Pochettino added.
“Mauro Icardi is a participant who contributed so a lot up until his damage. He then recovered and has made a mountainous create. Unnecessary to tell, he offers us an alternate in our assault.”
PSG midfielder Marco Verratti will return to coaching on Sunday while defender Sergio Ramos, who has but to function his club debut, continues to educate individually as he recovers from a calf damage.
Montpellier misplaced their two most major scheme scorers from last season — Andy Delort and Gaetan Laborde — in the transfer window but Pochettino acknowledged he used to be restful wary of the facet who maintain already scored 15 league objectives, 2d in the support of PSG’s 20.
“They work very exhausting and we maintain now considered that in our preparations,” Pochettino acknowledged. “They maintain quality gamers and it be now no longer factual their fleet transitions, they are going to also also procure their play and they’re affected person of their buildup.
“They’re a team that performs spirited football. We’re searching forward to them to function it sophisticated for us.”
PSG are top of the Ligue 1 standings with a excellent assemble document from seven games while Montpellier are 10th.
