Madrid, Dec 10 (DPA) European Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi is doubtful for Saturday’s Catalan derby between Barcelona and Espanyol.
The Argentine winger suffered a bad foul at the end of Wednesday’s 2-1 win – in which he scored the winning goal – away to Dynamo Kiev and has a sprained right ankle. He will undergo teststo determine the extent of the injury.
Barca have no other injury worries ahead of the derby, now that defender Gabi Milito is finally fit after 18 months out of action.
Josep Guardiola’s champions have won their last five games in Spain and Europe, and are five points clear at the top of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand.
“We did well tonight,” said Guardiola in chilly Kiev. “Now we must start to focus on the Espanyol match.”
Espanyol are seventh from bottom and probably facing another grim relegation struggle.
Last season they were the only team capable of beating Barca in the Camp Nou, but Ivan de la Pena – scorer of both goals in that shock win – is injured.
In addition, Raul Tamudo, Moise Hurtado and David Garcia will also be missing.
Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Wednesday that “I don’t want to offer any clues to Guardiola, but we have to cancel out their strong points.”
The Argentine coach – who saved Espanyol from relegation last season – added that “we are in a difficult situation, after losing our last four games.”
Saturday also sees Real away to third-placed Valencia, who are just three points behind them.
Real will be without Marseille hero Cristiano Ronaldo, suspended after being sent off in last Saturday’s 4-2 defeat of Almeria.
They will also be missing injury victims Kaka, Guti, Christoph Metzelder and Ruud Van Nistelrooy – and maybe Xabi Alonso as well.
Valencia, for their part, will be without David Silva and Manuel Fernandes. Saturday’s other game is between Zaragoza and Athletic Bilbao.
Sunday’s big game will see Sevilla, who have slipped down to fourth in recent weeks, away to seventh-placed Sporting Gijon.
Sunday’s other games are as follows: Osasuna-Mallorca, Almeria-Deportivo Coruna, Racing Santander-Xerez, Atletico Madrid-Villarreal, Getafe-Tenerife and Valladolid-Malaga.
rounak