Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has admitted that the Spanish club are currently in the dark over the availability of Lionel Messi.

Messi was due to face Guangzhou Evergrande in the Club World Cup semi-final on Thursday, but had to pull out of the match due to renal colic, which is a condition often linked with kidney stones.

Barcelona won 3-0 in the second semi-final to set up a clash with River Plate on Sunday, but Fernandez has offered no indication as to whether the Argentine forward will be fit to take part.

"Leo isn't well. He's got renal colic, and we all know how painful that can be," Sport has quoted Fernandez as saying. "Let's see how he does overnight, how the symptoms evolve and we'll see how he is and if he can play in the next game."

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick in Yokohama for a Barcelona team that were also without the injured Neymar.