BARCELONA, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 24: Lionel Messi of Barcelona scores his teams fifth goal during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between FC Barcelona and AS Roma at Camp Nou on November 24, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
FC Barcelona will likely take the field without one the world’s best players on Wednesday, when they take on Valencia. Right winger Lionel Messi, who has 20 goals in 24 in all competitions during 2015-16, will undergo a minor kidney operation Tuesday.
The surgery is said to be related to Messi’s renal colic that kept him out of the 2015 Club World Cup semifinal in December. Renal colic is a pain in the abdomen caused by kidney stones.
Messi still managed to all play all 90 minutes on Sunday, during Barca’s win over Levante. Despite missing practice on Monday and likely missing the Copa Del Rey second leg match against Valencia, Messi could return to practice as early as Thursday.
Barcelona likely will be able to survive the game without Messi, they beat Valencia 7-0 in the first leg with Messi notching a hat trick and Luis Suarez chipping in four goals of his own in that game.
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