By DPA
Madrid : Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi will be out of action for about a month, the Catalan giants announced here Saturday night.
Messi, 20, tore his left calf muscle in Saturday’s easy 3-0 win away to crisis club Valencia. Messi – who had set up Samuel Eto’o to score Barca’s first two goals – had to limp off the Mestalla pitch after 40 minutes.
He will be out until around mid-January, and will therefore, together with fellow injury victim Thierry Henry, miss next Sunday’s big game at home to leaders Real Madrid.
Messi is Barca’s leading scorer this season, with eight goals in La Liga and four in the Champions League.