Messi injury blow for Barcelona

BARCELONA star Lionel Messi is set to spend up to three weeks on the sidelines with an ankle sprain.

The Catalans put their poor recent record at the Vicente Calderon behind them to end Atletico Madrid’s 100% start to the Primera Division season last night – but Messi’s late injury scare almost cast a shadow on the win.

Barca had lost their three previous league visits to Atletico’s home 2-1, 4-3 and 4-2 but they deservedly earned all three points on this occasion thanks to first-half goals from Messi and Gerard Pique. Atletico had managed to equalise through Raul Garcia but they can have few complaints about the result and finished the game with 10 men when defender Tomas Ujfalusi was sent off late on following a challenge on Messi.