Lionel Messi injured in match against Honduras

Messi took a blow to his rib on the hour mark of Argentina’s 1-0 victory and needed three minutes of treatment, before Tata Martino made the decision to replace him, the No 10 then seen wincing as he made his way to the dressing room.

According to the Argentine Football Association’s (AFA) latest medical report, Messi suffered “significant bruising to the bone and soft tissue on the last three ribs of his left rib cage and in the lumbar paraspinal area”.

The 28-year-old will return to Spain on Saturday for the start of his tax-fraud trial, before rejoining the national team in the US city of Santa Clara ahead of Copa America, which kicks off on June 3.

Uruguay are also sweating over Luis Suarez’s fitness after Barca’s No 9 sustained a thigh injury in the Copa del Rey final last weekend.