News: Messi faces two-month injury layoff, Madrid held by Malaga

Lionel Messi will be out for up to eight weeks
with knee ligament damage suffered as
Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga table
with a 2-1 win over Las Palmas on Saturday.
Barca’s troubles were eased, though, as Real
Madrid remain a point behind the Catalans
after being held 0-0 at home by 10-man
Malaga.

Luis Suarez struck twice to ensure no more
damage was done to Barca’s title chances, but
the hosts were left hanging on after Jonathan
Viera’s deflected effort three minutes from
time halved the deficit.
“Firstly, it is always sad when a player gets
injured. It is without doubt the worst thing in
football for the players,” said Barca boss Luis
Enrique.

“Obviously, when it is Leo Messi even more so
for the weight he carries amongst our group.
“It is logical in football that players will get
injured and we have to know how to
overcome it. I am sure we will perform at a
good level.”

Barca had been humiliated 4-1 at Celta Vigo in
midweek and hopes of a trouble-free
afternoon were ended after just 10 minutes
when Messi injured his left knee in a clash
with Pedro Bigas.
Messi, 28, was injured as he tried to turn the
ball home after taking a wonderful first touch
inside the area.
The four-time World Player of the Year briefly
returned to the field after receiving treatment,
but was clearly unable to run freely before he
was replaced by Munir El Haddadi.

“Tests have confirmed that Leo Messi suffered
a torn internal collateral knee ligament. The
estimated time out will be seven to eight
weeks,” Barcelona said in a statement.
Suarez opened the scoring on 25 minutes as he
rose to head home Sergi Roberto’s inch-
perfect cross from the right to settle Barca’s
nerves.

Barca made sure of a return to winning ways
thanks to a wonderful team move seven
minutes after the break as Neymar picked out
Munir and his cross was left by Sergio
Busquets for Suarez to fire into the top corner.
Suarez was involved once more as his trickery
forced former Everton defender Antolin
Alcaraz into handling inside the area.

The Uruguayan unselfishly gave up the chance
of netting a hat-trick to allow Neymar to take
responsibility from the spot, but he blasted
over.
Barca were then forced to see out a nervous
last few minutes as Las Palmas took advantage
of an error from Javier Mascherano to pull a
goal back as Viera’s shot deflected in off
Gerard Pique.

At the Bernabeu, Madrid failed to move back
to the top of the table as they were denied by
an inspired display from Malaga goalkeeper
Carlos Kameni.
“Football has these type of things. You
dominate a large part of the game, create
loads of chances, but if you aren’t clinical you
end up drawing 0-0,” said Madrid boss Rafael
Benitez.
“I think we created enough chances to score
and take the three points.”

Cristiano Ronaldo had an early goal ruled out
for offside before Kameni got down well to
twice turn efforts from Jese Rodriguez behind.
Madrid launched wave upon wave of attack
towards the Malaga goal, but were repelled by
Kameni as he made an incredible save to deny
a fiercely struck volley from Ronaldo as his
wait to become the club’s all-time leading
scorer continued.

Malaga also had their chances to win the
game, though, as Keylor Navas produced a
stunning save from Juan Carlos’s free-kick,
whilst Nordin Amrabat fired wide with just
Navas to beat.
Captain Weligton deflected a goalbound
header from Ronaldo wide and cleared off the
line when Isco had squeezed a shot past
Kameni.

However, Madrid claimed the ball had crossed
the line before the Brazilian hooked the ball to
safety and there was another controversial call
seconds later as Amrabat was shown a straight
red card for an elbow on Marcelo.
Ronaldo had one final chance to snatch all
three points at the death, but his header from
point-blank range flew over as the hosts were
left frustrated.

Credit: Vanguard

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