Down but not out

Madrid, September 25

Lionel Messi endured yet more injury frustration after going off at half-time against Villarreal but Barcelona gave their coach Ernesto Valverde some much-needed relief with a comfortable 2-1 victory.

Messi received treatment in the first half for what looked like a problem with his left thigh and was then unable to continue after the interval, replaced by Ousmane Dembele on Tuesday.

His withdrawal will be a major concern for Barca, particularly given this was Messi’s first start of the season after just recovering from a niggling calf injury sustained at the start of August.

Barcelona started well, with Griezmann heading in after just six minutes, darting to the near post to flick home Messi’s floated corner. Seven minutes late,  Arthur collected the ball 30 yards out and harpooned a shot past Sergio Asenjo and into the top right-hand corner for the second goal.

Santi Cazorla put Villarreal in touch on the stroke of half-time but the visitors barely threatened thereafter. 

After the match, Valverde struck a note of calm. “When something happens to Messi, everyone stops, not only on the field, but in the stands as well,” he said. “It is a small problem in the adductor and as a precaution we have decided not to risk it, we will see tomorrow how it is.” 

Juve go top of Serie A

Milan: Mario Balotelli made his first start for Brescia but the promoted northerners still fell to a 2-1 defeat which sent champions Juventus top of Serie A.

Balotelli has returned to Italy to play for his hometown club, but his debut had been delayed as he sat out a four-game suspension for previous club Marseille. Juventus were without star forward Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday — rested with a slight thigh problem — but the champions recovered from going behind after less than four minutes to an Alfredo Donnarumma goal. 

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny got two hands to Donnarumma’s stinging strike, but could only push the ball into the net. Brescia defender Jhon Chancellor let the champions off the hook five minutes before the break, diverting the ball into his own goal, with Bosnian midfielder Miralem Pjanic completing the comeback, volleying in on 63 minutes. Juventus overtake Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table with 13 points from five games. 

Spurs stunned, slick City 

London: Tottenham’s disappointing start to the season hit a new low as they suffered an embarrassing League Cup third-round defeat on penalties to fourth-tier Colchester.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were held to a 0-0 draw in normal time before losing 4-3 on penalties against opponents currently 10th in League Two on Tuesday.

Holders Manchester City won 3-0 at Championship club Preston as they made a smooth start to win the League Cup for a third successive season. Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus were on target for City. — AFP