Messi to be available for Champions League game with Bayern

PARIS (AP) — Lionel Messi will be available for the Champions League game against Bayern Munich on Tuesday despite being left out of the squad for this weekend's French league match at Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier said Friday.

Messi strained his hamstring in the 2-1 loss to Marseille on Wednesday in the French Cup.

“Leo won’t be available for the Monaco game tomorrow,” Galtier said. “He will resume training on Monday, the day before the game against Bayern Munich. So you can leave the term ‘doubtful’ aside.”

PSG leads the French league by eight points, but injuries to key players are coming at a critical moment of the season.

France striker Kylian Mbappe tore a muscle in his left thigh against Montpellier on Feb. 1 and will miss the Monaco and Bayern Munich games. Brazil striker Neymar missed two French league games this month because of a groin problem before returning for the French Cup.

PSG was undefeated in all competitions from August to December but the team lost to Lens and Rennes in the league last month before getting knocked out by Marseille in the French Cup.

“We know the importance of Leo in our game,” Galtier said. “Because of his absence, we will maybe have to play differently to have a more solid and more compact team.”

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