Match ends, Barcelona 2, Las Palmas 1.
BarcelonaBarcelona2Las PalmasLas Palmas1
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will be out for seven to eight weeks after tearing a ligament in his left knee during a 2-1 win over Las Palmas.
Messi, 28, was injured in the third minute of the match and was taken to hospital after being replaced.
He may miss eight fixtures, but could return in time to face Real Madrid on 22 November.
"I'm always sad when one of my players gets injured and even more when it's Messi," coach Luis Enrique said.
"We will not change our style of play without Messi, although there are many moments in games in which Messi liberates us and finds solutions for us, so we'll have to strengthen in other areas and the team will have to step up without him."
In Messi's absence, Luis Suarez scored twice as the champions beat Las Palmas to briefly return to the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid failed to overtake the Catalan side when they could only draw against struggling Malaga at the Bernabeu, allowing Villarreal to climb above both teams with a 1-0 home win against 2014 champions Atletico Madrid.
Former Liverpool striker Suarez rose superbly to head in Sergi Roberto's cross and doubled the lead when he powerfully converted at the far post following Sergio Busquets's dummy.
Las Palmas forward Jonathan Viera reduced the deficit with a late strike, but Barca held on.
| Ernest Macia from Radio Catalunya told BBC World Service: |
|---|
| "This is Messi's most important injury in seven or eight years. |
| "Barcelona must play many of their rivals at the start of the season so he is a big loss but normally Barcelona need him most when it comes to March or April. Now young players need to come up and come into the team." |
| Hear more |
Line-ups
Barcelona
Formation 4-3-3
- 1ter Stegen
- 20Roberto Carnicer
- 3Piqué
- 15Bartra
- 21CorreiaSubstituted forGumbauat 90+1'minutes
- 4Rakitic
- 5Busquets
- 14MascheranoBooked at 79mins
- 10MessiSubstituted forEl Haddadiat 10'minutesSubstituted forRamírezat 80'minutes
- 9SuárezBooked at 90mins
- 11Neymar
Substitutes
- 6Alves da Silva
- 8Iniesta
- 17El Haddadi
- 19Ramírez
- 24Mathieu
- 25Masip
- 28Gumbau
Las Palmas
Formation 5-3-2
- 13Varas Herrera
- 2SimónBooked at 56mins
- 3AlcarazBooked at 66mins
- 16Artiles Oliva
- 17Bigas
- 23Castellano Betancor
- 15Mesa QuevedoSubstituted forValerónat 68'minutes
- 14Santana TrujilloBooked at 36minsSubstituted forCulioat 57'minutes
- 12WakasoBooked at 58mins
- 10AraujoSubstituted forEl Zharat 67'minutes
- 20Viera Ramos
Substitutes
- 1Lizoain
- 5García Santana
- 7Alemán Viera
- 8Da Silva
- 19Culio
- 21Valerón
- 25El Zhar
- Referee:
- Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
- Attendance:
- 73,017
Match Stats
Home TeamBarcelonaAway TeamLas Palmas
- Possession
- Home67%
- Away33%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away6
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away23
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Barcelona 2, Las Palmas 1.
Post update
Foul by Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona).
Post update
Juan Carlos Valerón (Las Palmas) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Luis Suárez (Barcelona) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Luis Suárez (Barcelona).
Post update
Mubarak Wakaso (Las Palmas) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Barcelona. Ivan Rakitic tries a through ball, but Luis Suárez is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Barcelona. Gerard Gumbau replaces Adriano.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jonathan Viera (Las Palmas) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Nabil El Zhar.
Post update
Attempt missed. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Neymar following a fast break.
Goal!
Goal! Barcelona 2, Las Palmas 1. Jonathan Viera (Las Palmas) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nabil El Zhar.
Post update
Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by David Simón (Las Palmas).
Post update
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona).
Post update
Juan Carlos Valerón (Las Palmas) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Luis Suárez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Post update
Neymar (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Juan Emmanuel Culio (Las Palmas).
Post update
Attempt saved. Sandro Ramírez (Barcelona) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Javier Mascherano.
