Sporting

Barcelona went to Madrid yesterday and played the Europa League Champs, Atletico Madrid. Barça haven't beaten the team in three years, and Atletico is particularly hot in this year--what with their Europa title and the star performance of their Uruguayan captain Diego Forlan in the world cup this summer.

But though Messi was not hot to win games in the Cup and Forlan was, yesterday it was Messi who played brilliantly and scored while Forlan was shut out. Barça played their slinky attacking game and after Atletico equalized in the 23rd minute, Barça scored again from a great close range shot from Pique to lock the score at 1-2. They kept attacking for the next hour of play and Madrid never really got any momentum. Unfortunately, in the extra time at the game's close, Leo Messi got his foot stomped on by Atletico's Ujfalusi.

He rolled on the ground in pain and covered his face as he was taken off the field in a stretcher. Though the injury is said to not be too grave, it sends shock waves through the club whose system is apparently dependent on him. The immediate diagnosis: a ligament sprain and (at least) two games missed.

Its a tough week in La Liga. The team plays on Wednesday hosting Sporting Gijon, and then they'll play in Bilbao against Atletic Bilbao on Saturday. The Bilbao game last year was pretty tough, and this upcoming one will be a good one to watch.

That's still too far to look ahead to. The team have to perform on Wednesday. Now they have mixed momentum at their handling of At. Madrid, hobbled by the loss of Messi.

For the Sporting Gijon game, the young guys have to come up. Pedro has to connect, and Bojan better get into form already in the season's third week. There is no more Ibra to act like Shaq and hang out and wait for dunks. Boys, set your phasers on whoop-de-whoomp.