Argentina coach Tata Martino is sorry over Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi's knee injury.

Messi is now missing for two months.

"I was not watching the Barcelona game, but when the news started to come in I began to look at the photos on my mobile phone," he said. "Seeing him come off so soon, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to count on him [for Argentina].

"In fact, worse still, I thought that he had snapped the internal ligament during the play and my worry that it was going to be an extremely serious injury.

"Leo's injury is unfortunate. It gives us a handicap [in World Cup qualifying] when it is important that we get off to a good start. It's a shame. But we are happy, too, because Pastore is back, as are Biglia and Di Maria. But we have lost Messi."