Barcelona's Lionel Messi could miss return-leg against Real Madrid

Messi suffered a minor tear during his man of the match performance against Real Madrid, and will miss at least one game.

Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi could miss next week's Champions League decider with Real Madrid after suffering a minor muscle tear during the 2-0 win in Wednesday's semifinal first-leg.

 The Argentine playmaker, who scored both goals in the Bernabeu including an astounding individual effort to put the Cules one step away from the final, was in some discomfort after the match and was checked by medical staff.

The doctors discovered a tear as well as several areas of bruising, product of a brutal encounter with Jose Mourinho's men.

'La Pulga' will definitely be ruled out of Saturday's clash with Real Sociedad, and will be wrapped in cotton wool by Barcelona to give him the best chance of making the second-leg in the Camp Nou.

Indications are that he should play against the Merengues, although with a two-goal cushion the temptation will be for the club to rest or bench him to ensure the injury is not aggravated for a potential final against Schalke or Manchester United. will barcelona crew be willing to bench messi for the return at the nou camp?

Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona: Sublime Lionel Messi sinks 10-man Madrid in battle of the Bernabeu

A Lionel Messi brace has put Barca in the driving seat after a heated affair at the Bernabeu

Barcelona drew first blood in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid after Lionel Messi led the visitors to a 2-0 triumph on Wednesday evening. After a first-half devoid of any real scoring chances, drama ensued in the second session when the hosts were forced to play the final 30 minutes with ten men following a red card for Pepe.
Madrid’s mission was made all the harder when Lionel Messi expertly guided home Ibrahim Afellay’s cross in the 75th minute.
The Argentine star then scored a sensational goal when he waltzed past four Madrid players before sending the ball beyond Iker Casillas, sending the travelling support into raptures.
The opening exchanges took the same route as the previous Clasicos: neither side was able to settle early on, referee Wolfgang Stark being heavily involved from the beginning. Both sides looked to influence him as they attempted to gain a psychological hold on the German official.  
Barcelona began to enjoy possession in their own half as the match developed, and came close to taking the lead through David Villa. The World Cup winner darted in-field from out wide and looked to strike the ball across Casillas, but his effort flashed past the far post.
At the other end Marcelo was eager to break forward, his tenacity soon winning Madrid what could have been a vital corner. The hosts hastily took the kick only for Angel di Maria to waste the promising crossing position to the frustration of his team-mates.
Casillas made the game's first stop when he got down low to save from Xavi. Messi had threaded a beautiful pass through to the Spanish international who took the shot first time, firing across Madrid’s goal with pace.
The Argentine repeated his contribution soon afterwards, this time finding Villa behind Real Madrid’s defence, but the striker’s touch deserted him as the men in white saw the danger clear with ease.

Victor Valdes was called into action for the first time in the 35th minute when Pepe rose highest to meet Xabi Alonso’s free kick, but the header lacked power and the save was an easy one.

The officials became increasingly central to the tie close to half-time as tempers flared. Stark, ever the disciplinarian, had his work cut out to maintain control.

The half came to life in the final minutes when Cristiano Ronaldo smashed a long-range effort which Valdes could only parry. Mesut Ozil pounced on the rebound but shot straight at the 'keeper: his blushes were spared when the offside flag was raised.

As the players headed down the tunnel there was a ruckus between members of both teams, as an argument broke out, earning Barcelona’s second-choice goalkeeper Jose Pinto a red card.

The whistle had brought the most drama, adding fuel to the fire when the two sides re-emerged for the second-half.

The Blaugrana began the brighter of the two with Messi finding space between the midfield and defence. He shifted the ball to Pedro, who in turn found the Argentine with a delicate cross but Pepe recovered to clear the danger.  

Barcelona took a quick free-kick as they looked to get Messi away and the striker took it beyond three Madrid players before Sergio Ramos body-checked the Argentine.

The challenge earned Ramos a yellow card, which will see the defender miss the return leg. Javier Mascherano levelled the caution count, soon after, when he went in recklessly on Pepe.

Pepe was then sent off for a high, studs-showing challenge on Dani Alves, leaving the Madrid bench to furiously protest the decision.  

Jose Mourinho had contested the referee’s judgement and was sent to the stands after he sarcastically praised the fourth official after Pepe’s sending off.

Barcelona looked to take the imitative with the numerical advantage and Villa produced a fine save from Casillas as the Blaugrana began their onslaught on Madrid’s goal.

Soon after, the Spanish stopper could do nothing to prevent Barcelona from taking the lead. Lionel Messi expertly steered home his 10th Champions League goal of the season from close range after Ibrahim Afellay's swift cross from the right flank, and suddenly Barcelona were well and truly in pole position.

By Messi's standards, this was a mere tap-in - particularly in comparison to what was to follow. Five minutes from the end the little Argentine made history with one of the finest goals ever to be scored in European competition. Seizing the ball fully 30 yards from goal, Messi shrugged off the challenge of Lassana Diarra before playing a truly sumptuous ball - to himself! - past Raul Albiol.

By now he was in the box, but still had all his work ahead of him, for Marcelo and Sergio Ramos were closing in fast. As if they weren't there, Messi changed direction, cut slightly away from goal, then rolled a right-footed shot on the turn that had more than enough accuracy to leave Iker Casillas as helpless as his stunned teammates. A legendary solo goal, and one that surely propelled Barcelona to the Champions League final.

Pep Guardiola’s side walked off at the final whistle with a feeling of jubilation as they will welcome the Copa del Rey champions to the Camp Nou next Tuesday in the culmination of this Clasico Champions League tie.

Lionel Messi Becomes Latest Barcelona Star To Urge Cesc Fabregas To Leave Arsenal

Lionel Messi has added his voice to the campaign to bring Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona.

Fabregas, 23, has been at the heart of a transfer battle between the clubs after he told manager Arsene Wenger of his desire to move back to the Nou Camp. A £29 million bid has already been rejected by the Gunners, but new president Sandro Rosell is expected to keep hammering away at their resistance.

Already this week, Spain World Cup winning goal scorer Andres Iniesta has urged Fabregas to make the move, while Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique forced a Barca shirt on him in Madrid.

Speaking from Panama, where tonight he captains a select XI in a charity match featuring players such as Martin Palermo, Lucio and Marco Materazzi, Messi hoped for a reunion with his former youth team colleague.

"For me it would be great," Messi said.

"I played with him in the youth teams and he knows Barcelona.", do you think that the two stars should play under the same outfit?

 

 

Jose Manuel Pinto, Pepe & Jose Mourinho all sent off in festival of cards between Real Madrid & Barcelona at the Bernabeu

 

The festival of cards shown in Real Madrid's 2-0 home defeat to Barcelona will have ramifications far beyond Wednesday night, with both sides now lacking several players for the return-leg at Camp Nou next Tuesday.

The 'battle of the Bernabeu' saw Sergio Ramos pick up a suspension after earning a yellow card, while Pepe's straight red will see him sit out the return leg.

Almost certainly set to miss out is Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, who was sent to the stands for what he described as some laughter and clapping towards referee Wolfgang Stark in the aftermath of Pepe's dismissal.

On the other side, Barcelona's substitute goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto was the first to see red, the veteran receiving his marching orders for his part in a half-time melee.

It leaves the list of missing names for the second-leg clash longer than it already was. Players in italics could potentially return for the match: