Messi sidelined 2-3 weeks with hamstring strain

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says Lionel Messi will be sidelined for up to three weeks after re-aggravating his right hamstring strain, an injury that has hampered his ability to play over the past six weeks.

The club says in a statement that tests performed on Tuesday revealed the muscle strain.

Barcelona says Messi's estimated recovery time will be two to three, and that "the player's evolution will determine his availability to return for future games."

Messi first injured his hamstring on April 2 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain, and re-aggravated the injury in Sunday's 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid.

Messi was making his first league start since the injury but left the pitch in the 68th minute after Barcelona had made all three substitutions and was trailing 1-0. The team rallied without him.