Lionel Messi will miss Barcelona’s meeting with Real Madrid next week after injuring his arm against Sevilla
Messi landed awkwardly after a barge from Franco Vasquez, replays showing his right arm appearing to buckle as he hit the deck.
Remaining in agony on the floor for several minutes after the incident, it soon became clear that the 31-year-old would play no further part in the game.
#Messi replaced after a nasty fall…😱
Could Barcelona be missing their star player for #ElClasico?#BarcelonaSevilla #PureFootball pic.twitter.com/2mB5S2Wr61
— ELEVEN Football (@ElevenSportsFB) October 20, 2018
Having been replaced by Ousmane Dembele, Messi was seen returning to the Barca dugout with his arm heavily strapped. However, he later left to have further tests done, a statement from Barcelona later confirming a fracture of his radius bone.
‘Tests carried out on the first team player Leo Messi have confirmed that he has a fracture of the radial bone in his right arm, the statement reads, adding that he is expected to be out of action for the next three weeks.
As well as the first El Clasico of the new season next weekend, Barca face a Champions League double-header with Inter Milan (October 24 and November 6), a Copa del Rey game with Cultural Leonesa (October 31) and league games with Rayo Vallecano (November 3) and Real Betis (November 11) in the period of time that Messi is anticipated to be unavailable for.
Messi had scored minutes before his injury, doubling Barca’s lead against Sevilla after Philippe Coutinho’s early opener. Without their talisman, Barca still managed to win the game 4-2, their other goals coming courtesy of a Luis Suarez penalty and a late goal from Ivan Rakitic.
Their win leaves them top of La Liga after their first nine games, a point clear of Deportivo Alaves.
Real Madrid, who welcome them to the Bernabeu next weekend, are fifth after falling to another defeat – this time at home to Levante – earlier in the day.
