Messi escapes injury after Smalling clash - report

The Barcelona captain has been checked and is fine

Lionel Messi seems to have avoided serious injury after being whacked in the face by Chris Smalling against Manchester United on Wednesday.

The Barcelona captain was left bloodied and bruised by the challenge from the centre-back who crashed into Messi and then caught him with his trailing arm.

Messi was able to continue after receiving treatment on the pitch, but there were fears after the match he may have broken his nose.

However, Mundo Deportivo have reported that Messi was checked out by the club’s medical staff on Thursday afternoon and given the all-clear.

Sport have a similar story saying tests show “there is no injury to worry about” but that Barcelona won’t issue a statement because he wasn’t officially considered to be injured as he didn’t come off.

All the signs suggest that Messi is therefore fit and available for Saturday’s trip to Huesca, although Ernesto Valverde may still leave him out against La Liga’s bottom side to get some rest ahead of the second leg against Manchester United.