Messi and Valdes out of Osasuna cup clash
Reuters - Wednesday 04 January 2012, 12:52
Barcelona forward Lionel
Messi and goalkeeper Victor Valdes are unavailable for the
King's Cup last-16 first leg at home to Osasuna on Wednesday
because of flu and fever, the La Liga club said on their website.
Coach Pep Guardiola may in any case have rested Messi as the
World Player of the Year arrived back from his native Argentina
on Monday while Valdes was unlikely to have featured as number
two keeper Jose Manuel Pinto normally keeps goal in the cup.
Barca, who lost 1-0 to Real Madrid in last year's final,
will meet Real in the quarter-finals if they get past Osasuna
and the Madrid side dispose of Malaga, whom they beat 3-2 in
Tuesday's first leg at the Bernabeu.
The second legs are scheduled for next week.