Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward injured on his first start of season in Villarreal win

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Lionel Messi endured an accident on his first start of the year in Barcelona’s narrow win over Villarreal.
Messi, who’d recovered to feature, was replaced at the start of the second half after suffering a leg issue.
Before Arthur made it 2-0 the Argentine, making his 400th La Liga begin, provided the corner Antoine Griezmann to head home off the pub.
Santi Cazorla pulled a goal back.
Following the game, Barca manager Ernesto Valverde described Messi’s injury as a»small problem in the adductor».
«When something occurs to Messi, everybody stops, not only on the area, but in the stands too,» he said.
«As a precaution we have decided not to risk it. In theory, it’s nothing but we will see tomorrow how it’s.»
Though far from the fluent Barcelona climbed four places up the table to fourth in La Liga to help ease the pressure on Valverde after a bad start.
After his accident, the Barca captain received therapy before carrying on until half-time.
The forwards was replaced with French striker Ousmane Dembele in the onset of the second half.
Elsewhere Granada went top of La Liga – level on points with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid – after drawing.
Real Madrid amuse Osasuna on Wednesday (20:00 BST) while Bilbao are at base bar Leganes (18:00 BST).
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