Lionel Messi in pains

Team mates, football fans have taken to Twitter  and other social media to wish speedy recovery for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi limped off  Camp Nou on Saturday, with a knee injury after just nine minutes of their La Liga clash with Las Palmas.

The messages, according to Barcelona website are being run under the hashtag, #ÁnimoLeo.  Andres Iniesta, Neymar, Luis Suarez have all registered their messages, with many generating thousands of retweets.

Leave your messages of support for # Messi

And it has been confirmed by the club’s medical staff  that the Argentine captain has  torn medial collateral ligament in the left knee. The injury is expected to keep him out between seven and eight weeks. 

The Argentine picked up the knock after a clash of legs with Daniel Castellano with three minutes gone and although he tried to continue he eventually had to be substituted.

Barcelona won the match  2-1, with Luis Suárez scoring  once in each half.

Jonathon Viera got one back for Las Palmas in the 87th minute, depriving both Barça and goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen of a clean sheet.