(AFP) - The Argentine star, Lionel Messi , will be absent from the French ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, during his confrontation with Benfica scheduled for Tuesday in the Champions League football competition, as Agence France-Presse learned from his club.

Messi missed his team's last match against Reims (zero-zero) in the local league due to a slight calf injury he suffered during the first-leg match against Benfica (1-1) last week, and subsequently demanded that he be replaced in the last minutes, following the intervention of one of the team's players. Portuguese.

The tests that Messi conducted on Monday were not decisive, so the medical and technical staff decided not to risk involving him against Benfica.

Saint-Germain faces 8 matches from now until November 13, when international players will be released to participate in their national teams in the World Cup in Qatar.

The French club suffers from several injuries in its ranks, affecting its French defender Prisnel Kempebe, Portuguese left back Nuno Mendes and compatriot midfielder Renato Sanchez.