FC Barcelona will attempt to keep their Primera División chances alive at home against Villarreal CF on Sunday, but they will have to do so without Lionel Messi as the Argentina forward begins a six-week lay-off.

Suffering his fourth thigh injury since he turned professional in 2004, Messi left the Camp Nou pitch in tears on Tuesday, 38 minutes into Barcelona's 1-0 UEFA Champions League win over Celtic FC. It was the 20-year-old's second muscle tear in less than three months, following a similar injury against Valencia CF on 15 December, and he could miss up to ten games for the Catalan side.

The first of those brings Barcelona up against third-placed Villarreal, in a repeat of the Copa del Rey quarter-final at the same stadium on 31 January, which the hosts won 1-0. Frank Rijkaard's men have a seven-point lead over the visitors in the standings, but their focus is fixed on catching pacesetters Real Madrid CF, who are five points clear following Barça's 4-2 loss at Club Atlético de Madrid last weekend.