Barca sweat on Messi fitness

BARCELONA are sweating on the fitness of playmaker Lionel Messi ahead of their two huge matches this week.

Messi limped off during the second half of Saturday night’s 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao with a thigh problem in his left leg and underwent tests yesterday to determine the extent of the injury.

The tests suggested the injury is not as bad as first feared and Barca will be relieved as they face Inter Milan in a crucial Champions League fixture in midweek before hosting bitter rivals Real Madrid in La Liga at the Nou Camp next weekend.