<p>Barcelona's Lionel Messi has a bruised left knee and is a doubt for the leaders' next match in La Liga this weekend, the club said on Wednesday ending fears that the player had suffered a more serious injury.<br /><br /></p>.<p>“Tests carried out tonight (Wednesday night) have confirmed that the player has a bruising of the bone on the outside of the left knee,” Barca said in a statement. “The rate of his recovery will determine whether he will be available for the next game, on Sunday against Real Betis.”<br /><br />The World Player of the Year was carried off on a stretcher near the end of their Champions League match against Benfica.<br /><br />The Argentine collapsed to the ground clutching his knee after colliding with Benfica goalkeeper Artur and looked to be in severe discomfort as he was taken from the pitch.<br />The initial diagnosis was that he had suffered only bruising.<br /><br />Messi remains one goal short of Gerd Mueller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year set in 1972. <br /><br />The last time Messi suffered an injury was in September 2010 at Atletico Madrid when a hefty challenge left him with ankle damage that ruled him out of two games, the club said.</p>
<p>Barcelona's Lionel Messi has a bruised left knee and is a doubt for the leaders' next match in La Liga this weekend, the club said on Wednesday ending fears that the player had suffered a more serious injury.<br /><br /></p>.<p>“Tests carried out tonight (Wednesday night) have confirmed that the player has a bruising of the bone on the outside of the left knee,” Barca said in a statement. “The rate of his recovery will determine whether he will be available for the next game, on Sunday against Real Betis.”<br /><br />The World Player of the Year was carried off on a stretcher near the end of their Champions League match against Benfica.<br /><br />The Argentine collapsed to the ground clutching his knee after colliding with Benfica goalkeeper Artur and looked to be in severe discomfort as he was taken from the pitch.<br />The initial diagnosis was that he had suffered only bruising.<br /><br />Messi remains one goal short of Gerd Mueller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year set in 1972. <br /><br />The last time Messi suffered an injury was in September 2010 at Atletico Madrid when a hefty challenge left him with ankle damage that ruled him out of two games, the club said.</p>