Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Sport

Messi misses Malaga game following birth of son

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Las Palmas vs FC Barcelona - Gran Canaria Stadium, Las Palmas, Spain - March 1, 2018 Barcelona’s Lionel Messi reacts REUTERS/Santiago Ferrero

BARCELONA (Reuters) - La Liga leaders Barcelona allowed Lionel Messi to miss their fixture at Malaga on Saturday following the birth of his third son.

"A last minute change to the FC Barcelona squad. Leo Messi has withdrawn for personal reasons and Yerry Mina takes his place," said the statement on the club's official website (www.fcbarcelona.com)

Messi later added on his Instagram account: "Welcome Ciro! Thanks to God everything went perfectly. His mother and he are doing really well. We are very happy."

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - March 4, 2018 Barcelona’s Lionel Messi during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Albert Gea

It is the first time this season that Messi, La Liga's top scorer with 24 goals, has not been included in the matchday squad for a league game. He has started 26 of Barca's 27 games, while he came off the bench against Espanyol on Feb. 4.

Barca lead the Liga standings on 69 points, enjoying an eight-point lead over nearest challengers Atletico

(Reporting by Richard Martin; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty and Pritha Sarkar)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Forget blue light blocking for better sleep — this is the hidden iPhone feature to use instead
This hidden gem iPhone feature turns my phone from a carnival of excitement to an absolute snoozefest. Here's how to do it.
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Florida woman ghosts her date after a nightmare meetup. A week later, he sent her something she’ll never forget
A first date going wrong are nothing new. But this Florida woman’s experience proves that sometimes, a person’s true character comes out days after the bill is paid. 
The Mary Sue
The Mary Sue
Rescue group in Las Vegas tries to catch a toucan that escaped its owner before it's too late
The life of a toucan seen flying around the Las Vegas desert is at risk unless it can be captured soon
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
‘Im too scared’: Texas woman orders Sausage McGriddles at McDonald’s — only to find teeth fragments in her breakfast
It’s not unusual to have a weird food experience at a food joint in the United States. Sometimes, you may find something missing, while other times you may find something that doesn’t belong. In the case of user @kai_michelle24 on TikTok, who is from Texas, unfortunately, it’s the latter. In…
The Mary Sue
The Mary Sue
Even Fox News hosts struggling to make sense of RFK Jr’s and Kid Rock’s workout video
‘Listen, somebody needs to tell RFK Jr. it’s okay to wear shorts. I mean, bro, don’t be upset about your legs,’ Fox News military analyst Johnny Jones said
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
NC Parents: Miss Too Many School Days and You Could Face Fines
Waking up to a coughing child with a fever triggers an immediate focus on their health. You naturally keep them home to recover and shield their classmates from germs. However, those recovery days accumulate quickly. Soon, a letter arrives in the mail that feels more like a legal threat than…
Budget and the Bees
Budget and the Bees
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play