Andres Iniesta has been sidelined for two weeks after picking up an injury in Barcelona's 9-0 massacre of third-tier minnows Hospitalet, the club said Friday.
"Iniesta will out of action for 15 days after sustaining a muscle injury," Barcelona said in a statement on the club website after the domestic King's Cup competition match Thursday night.
The 27-year-old international midfielder tore a muscle in his left thigh when he collided with the Hospitalet keeper, Carlos Craviotto, in the 27th minute of the lopsided clash, it said.
The injury means Iniesta will miss Barcelona's last-16 away game in the King's Cup as well as their league fixture with Espanyol on January 7 or 8, the team said.
Barca has already been hit by an injury to 30-year-old David Villa who suffered a fractured shin during their December 15 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al Sadd in Japan.
Villa has had an operation on the leg but is expected to be out for at least five months, putting the rest of the season and his chances of playing for Spain at Euro 2012 in serious peril.
Source: AFP
