"?Lionel Messi is said to be recovering well from a back injury suffered in an international friendly against Honduras, but whether he will be fit in time for the start of Argentina's Copa America campaign again Chile next week is still unclear.
The Barcelona star took a knee to the back in a warm-up match for the summer tournament, leaving the field after the blow as team medical staff took no chances with their star man's well-being.
Messi likely to play in Argentina's @CA2016 opener after injury concerns: https://t.co/GKQGrjd9IT pic.twitter.com/dy2pPNUrjP
Speaking to La Nacion, Argentina team doctor Daniel Martinez said: "Messi is better, he has less pain. His recovery is day-to-day, there are various treatments for this type of hit. When you have less discomfort in the region, you can have massages that can help to alleviate the pain."
The Argentine Football Association's (AFA) initial medical report had diagnosed the injury as "significant bruising to the bone and soft tissue on the last three ribs of his left rib cage and in the lumbar paraspinal area"?.
Messi's Argentina teammate Gonzalo Higuain, who scored in the match to carry on his impressive for Napoli into the international arena, insisted after the match: "It was an important win and here's hoping that what happened to Leo is nothing."?
Messi isn't the only Barcelona forward struggling for fitness in the run-up to the summer's Copa America centenary tournament, with Uruguay star Luis Suarez also an injury doubt after suffering a thigh knock in the Catalan giants' Copa Del Rey final victory against Sevilla.
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