Lionel Messi is down and out again.
The Barcelona all-star suffered a leg injury at the 21-minute mark during a game against Betis. Tests showed after the game that Messi tore his hamstring in his left thigh, meaning Barcelona will be without its star player for the next six to eight weeks.
However, given the sheer talent that is on Barcelona's roster, I do not see the team faltering at all with the loss of Messi.
Granted, Messi is arguably the greatest soccer player in the world, but with the likes of Neymar, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and top defender Carles Puyol, Barcelona will continue to dominate La Liga.
Neymar might even thrive with the loss of Messi, as his goal opportunities and offensive prowess will increase. In fact, some say Barcelona acquired Neymar in the off-season just for this particular situation.
With Messi having such an off year, Barcelona is still 12-1-0 and sits atop La Liga standings, so losing him for the remainder of the season will not disrupt this club.
The first match for Messi-less Barcelona will be against Granada CF on Nov. 23, and time will tell how much the team is affected.
Reach the reporter at afeyrer@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @coffeeblack910