Barca's Messi to miss quarter-finals with muscle tear

BARCELONA, Mar 8 (Reuters) Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi will miss the Champions League quarter-finals after tearing a muscle during the 3-2 aggregate victory over Chelsea.

The Primera Liga club said tests carried out today showed the 18-year-old had sustained a tear in his right leg and would be out of action for around a month.

Messi, who has been in outstanding form this season, sustained the injury midway through the first half of the second leg at the Nou Camp yesterday.

The Catalans will also be missing captain Carles Puyol for the first leg of the quarter-finals after the centre-back picked up a booking for a needless foul on Chelsea's Eidur Gudjohnsen.

The draw for the quarter-finals, which are to be played in the last week in March and the first week in April, takes place on Friday.

REUTERS AY HS1750