Messi ruled out for 3 weeks with groin strain

Barcelona will be without the best player on the planet for the foreseeable future.

The club announced that Lionel Messi will miss approximately three weeks after suffering a groin strain in the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

The diminutive Argentine, who gingerly walked off the pitch in the 59th minute at the Camp Nou, had already been hindered by a groin injury that he suffered on international duty earlier in the campaign.

The resurfacing of the ailment occurred after the 29-year-old megastar was involved in a seemingly innocuous challenge with Atletico stalwart Diego Godin.

"To lose Messi means that football loses. With Messi we are stronger, but we will continue being strong," manager Luis Enrique said of the announcement, which came shortly after the final whistle Wednesday.

He isn't wrong.

Without Messi, who has already racked up seven goals and three assists in all competitions this season, the Blaugrana will rely heavily on the other two thirds of the vaunted MSN attacking trident; Luis Suarez and Neymar have combined for eight goals across all competitions in 2016-17.

Obviously not wanting for attacking talent, Barcelona will also benefit from the upcoming international break, as Messi will likely miss just three matches with his latest setback.

The Catalan side meets Sporting Gijon, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Celta Vigo in the coming weeks, and Messi could return for the Oct. 15 clash with Deportivo.