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Lionel Messi has been excluded from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s matchday squad that will travel to face FC Lorient in Ligue 1 on Sunday, November 6.
The Argentine has been given a precautionary break from action by PSG. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner suffered a calf injury earlier in the season which kept him out for two games across all competitions. He only returned from his injury a couple of weeks back.
The Argentina captain is now set to miss his second Ligue 1 game this season on Sunday. According to the club's official medical report, he is expected to return to training next week. The medical report stated the following:
"Leo Messi will remain in treatment for an inflamed Achilles tendon as a precautionary measure. He will resume training next week."
Messi has been in need of a break for some time now after already playing 20 games this season for both club and country. The forward will want to remain fit for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which begins in less than 15 days.
The former Barcelona man is the only high-profile forward who has been left out of the matchday squad for their game against Lorient. His strike partners Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. have both been included in the squad by manager Christophe Galtier.
Both Neymar and Mbappe will therefore be expected to start and lead PSG's attack in the absence of Messi. His void can be filled by the likes of Pablo Sarabia, Hugo Ekitike or Carlos Soler.
Paris Saint-Germain are unbeaten in the league after the first 13 games of the 2022-23 season. The Parisian giants are therefore top of the standings and have amassed 35 points along the way.
Lorient, on the other hand, are fourth in the standings and have picked up 27 points from their 13 games this season.
Lionel Messi absence hurt PSG last time around
PSG struggled to find their form in the absence of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner last month. Christophe Galtier's side failed to win both games in which he did not feature.
Paris Saint-Germain failed to beat Stade Reims and only managed a 0-0 draw against their opponents. The Ligue 1 giants also only managed a 1-1 draw against SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.
Messi has been in some excellent form for PSG this season. The former Barcelona forward has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists from 18 appearances for the Parisian giants across all competitions.
