Messi out 7-8 weeks with knee ligament tear

Lionel Messi will be out "around seven to eight weeks" with a collateral ligament tear in his left knee, Barcelona announced after its 2-1 La Liga victory over Las Palmas on Saturday.

That diagnosis should allow Messi to return just in time for Barcelona's Nov. 21 showdown with rival Real Madrid.

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Messi went down in the fourth minute after colliding with a Las Palmas defender and suffering a knock to his left knee. He stayed down for a couple of minutes before walking to the sideline with the team trainer, then returned to the game.

Messi wouldn't last past the 10th minute. He waved back to the sideline to be taken out.

One aspect of Messi's brilliance that doesn't get talked about is his ability to be an elusive, moving target for frustrated defenders. Rarely ever does anyone get a clear shot at him and it's allowed him to stay relatively healthy over his 11-year senior team career with Barcelona.

But one thing Messi won't be able to outrun is Father Time. Saturday very well could be the first sign that Messi, at 28, could be showing his age.