Messi ruled out for next two Barca matchs

Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi will miss at least the next two matches after suffering an ankle injury at the weekend, the club said Monday.

It said tests carried out Monday confirmed that the player suffered ligament damage to his right ankle in his side’s 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday, in which he scored the opening goal.

Messi will now miss the Spanish champion’s next two matches, against Sporting Gijon on Wednesday and Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, the club said.

It did not indicate when the player might return, saying that “depends on how the injury evolves.”

Messi, 23, was stretchered off in the final minute of the match following a robust challenge from Czech defender Tomasz Ujfalusi who collected a second yellow card for his tackle.