Lionel Messi will be back playing in the "shortest possible time" according to Argentina doctor Donato Villani.





Messi's club, Barcelona, have predicted a seven-to-eight-week lay-off for the four-time Ballon d'Or winner, who tore a tear the internal collateral ligament of his left knee during Saturday's 2-1 win over Las Palmas.





But Villani predicts that the Albiceleste captain will be back playing for his club - who are already short on attacking numbers following Rafinha's injury - sooner rather than later.





"For years I've known Leo and I have no doubt that he will be ready in the shortest possible time of the injury, perhaps before that period of six-to-eight weeks," Villani told ​Ole .





"He gets mad when you cannot play. The desire to play again and the will to heal can influence.





"There is a break in need of surgery. It heals with rest as a first step and then kinesiology."





Barca head coach Luis Enrique insists his side will not alter their style of play in the absence of their talisman, but admits his players will have to raise their game in the meantime.





"I'm always sad when one of my players gets injured, and even more when it's Messi,'' Enrique said on Saturday. "But we need to accept the challenge and understand that this is part of football and get through it.





"We will not change our style of play without Messi, although there are many moments in games in which Messi liberates us and finds solutions for us, so we'll have to strengthen in other areas and the team will have to step up without him.''