FC Barcelona manager Luis Enrique did not have superstar striker Lionel Messi at his disposal during the club's practice on Monday. The Argentinian player was receiving treatment for kidney problems.

According to club's official website, Messi was subjected to multiple tests on Monday and will undergo a surgical procedure on Tuesday. Barca fans shouldn't worry as he is expected to suit up for the team's Copa del Rey semi-finals showdown against Valencia on Wednesday.

Mundo Deportivo reported that the 28-year old Rosario native will undergo shock wave lithotripsy at the Dexeus University hospital in Barcelona. The procedure will pulverize Messi's kidney stones and help flush them away safely through the urinary tract.

The procedure is not a guaranteed cure for Messi's kidney problems, but it's good enough to keep him physically competitive for an indefinite amount of time.

Dr. John Denstedt of the University of Western Ontario in Canada told Medscape that there is some serious argument against lithotripsy, claiming the procedure does not crush kidney stones efficiently and that retreatment rates for lithotripsy are higher than endoscopic procedures.

On the other hand, lithotripsy provides a much lower risk for complications, making it the more popular procedure for kidney stones sufferers.

"My argument is that patient selection is the key," said Dr Denstedt. "If you look closely at the literature, patient preference, cost, and morbidity all favor extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy,"

It can be recalled that Messi missed Fifa Club World Cup semi-final against Guangzhou Evergrande in December 2015 due to renal colic, a kind of abdominal pain caused by the presence of hardened stones in the kidney, per The Guardian.

Messi will likely start for Barca on Wednesday's outing against Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium. However, FC Barcelona calls the match "rather meaningless" as the Catalan side has already proven their dominance against Los Che in last week's 7-0 laugher at Camp Nou Stadium.

Apart from the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Wednesday, Barca's itinerary this week includes practice sessions at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Thursday and Saturday. Messi and company will then defend their home turf against Celta de Vigo on Feb. 14.

Barca has enjoyed a historic La Liga season thus far. The team's recent milestone came during Sunday's 2-0 victory at Levante. Goal reported that the win ties the league's win streak record of 28 games set by Pep Guardiola's 2011 Barca team.

"The wind makes things difficult for those who want to play football and it made life complicated for us all," Luis Enrique told journalist after the match. "But given the circumstances, the team did all that was necessary. I am happy to close out the result."

Barca has the opportunity to break the record and make La Liga history on Wednesday by beating Valencia.