Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has insisted that the Spanish champions "have enough cover" for Lionel Messi as the Argentine prepares to spend three weeks on the sidelines.

Messi fell awkwardly during Barcelona's 4-2 win over Sevilla on Saturday night, and tests later revealed that the South American had fractured his arm.

The 31-year-old will miss Barcelona's Champions League game with Inter Milan on Wednesday night in addition to El Clasico next weekend, but Pique has said that the Catalan outfit "cannot allow his absence to affect us".

"Psychologically we know that when he is there we are stronger but we cannot allow his absence to affect us. It makes a big difference to have or not to have him but we have enough cover so as not to worry about whether he is there or not," Pique told reporters.

Messi has scored 12 times in 12 appearances for Barcelona this season.