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Messi injury worry as Barcelona held by Valencia

:Headline: Messi injury worry as Barcelona held by Valencia: ID:349174: from db_amp
The striker is a doubt for the midweek Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi is a doubt for Wednesday's Copa del Rey Clasico semi-final at home to Real Madrid after sustaining a thigh injury in the 2-2 draw with Valencia.

The Argentina international scored twice, once from the penalty spot, as the hosts came from 2-0 down to earn a point and extend their lead at the top of LaLiga to six points.

Messi took his tally to 11 in the last nine matches in all competitions, passing 20 league goals for the 11th successive season.

However, it was not without cost as he needed treatment for what appeared to be a dead leg shortly after equalising and coach Ernesto Valverde does not know if he will recover in time for Wednesday's first leg against their arch-rivals.

"(Messi) has a small problem. I can't say exactly what problem he has, I don't know," he told a press conference after the match.

"We will have to wait to see what medical staff say. If he's in good shape, he'll play on Wednesday.

"We will wait. I imagine it's nothing, but we'll wait a few hours. Leo didn't ask me to sub him off."

The draw ended a sequence of eight successive league victories and Valverde admits that after a slow start he did not believe his side deserved to be 2-0 down.

"It was a very strange first part. It is true that Valencia started very well, generating a very clear opportunity, but from that moment on it was us who controlled the game, dominating the areas, creating the feeling that we could score," he said.

"When we were better we got the 0-1 in a counter-attack and then a second goal was a very severe punishment".

Valencia coach Marcelino looked on the positive side despite allowing a two-goal lead to slip.

"You can feel disappointed when you are 2-0 up and then draw but that's not how I feel," he said.

"The team had an extraordinary game and played spectacularly well but we were unlucky.

"We were close to winning but in the space of two minutes we went from almost being 3-1 up to drawing 2-2."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona13110240122833
2Real Madrid1283125111427
3Atletico MadridAtletico137511971226
4Villarreal127322319424
5Osasuna136341720-321
6Athletic Bilbao135531913620
7Real BetisBetis135531412220
8Real Sociedad135351110118
9Mallorca135351010018
10GironaGirona135351617-118
11Celta Vigo135262022-217
12Rayo Vallecano124441313016
13Sevilla134361218-615
14Leganes133551316-314
15AlavesAlaves134181422-813
16Las PalmasLas Palmas133371622-612
17Getafe13175811-310
18Espanyol123181122-1110
19Real ValladolidValladolid132381025-159
20Valencia11146817-97
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