Paris Saint-Germain attacker Lionel Messi is reportedly a doubt for next week's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich in yet another significant injury blow to the French champions.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has found his feet in Paris after a challenging first year, coming up with 15 goals and 14 assists in 25 games in all tournaments this season.
Messi completed the full 90 minutes in Wednesday's 2-1 Coupe de France defeat to Marseille, where goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ruslan Malinovskyi either side of Sergio Ramos's equaliser dumped PSG out at the last-16 stage.
Messi linked up with Neymar - who had just returned from a groin injury - in the final third at the Orange Velodrome, with Vitinha operating just behind the duo.
However, L'Equipe reports that the former Barcelona man left the field with a hamstring problem at the end of the match, and he is now uncertain for the visit of Bayern next week.
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In a repeat of the 2019-20 final - which Bayern won 1-0 - PSG will welcome the German champions to the Parc des Princes for the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday before the second leg takes place at the Allianz Arena on March 8.
The report claims that Messi is certain to sit out Saturday's Ligue 1 trip to Monaco, but PSG chiefs are still optimistic that he will be available to take part against Bayern.
Nevertheless, news of a fresh blow to Messi is another attacking headache for Christophe Galtier, who is currently working without Kylian Mbappe due to a thigh injury.
The 24-year-old sustained the problem during Les Parisiens' 3-1 win over Montpellier on February 1, and he was subsequently ruled out for three weeks.
As a result, Mbappe would be expected to sit out next week's meeting with Bayern as well, but a separate report from Le Parisien claims that there is still hope over his availability.
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While the France international would not be able to start the match, he could be given the green light to play 10 or 15 minutes as a substitute, but his chances of a rapid comeback are still "tiny".
Should Messi and Mbappe both be ruled out of the first leg against Bayern, Hugo Ekitike should be given the nod up front alongside Neymar, while Carlos Soler could support the duo in the number 10 role.
PSG are also working around the absences of Nordi Mukiele (hamstring) and Renato Sanches (muscle) for the visit of Bayern, but Presnel Kimpembe is back in full training following an Achilles injury.
The centre-back's problem ruled him out of the World Cup, but Galtier is urging caution over his fitness, and it is unclear if he will be involved in Saturday's meeting with Monaco.
PSG hold an eight-point lead over closest challengers Marseille and Lens at the top of the Ligue 1 table, having taken 54 points from their 22 fixtures in the 2022-23 campaign so far.
Ben Knapton
