Barcelona veteran Deco out for 10 days with pulled muscle 10/03/2008 00:00

Barcelona veteran Deco will be out of action for around 10 days, with a pulled muscle in his right calf.

10 March 2008

MADRID - Barcelona veteran Deco will be out of action for around 10 days, with a pulled muscle in his right calf.

Deco, 30, suffered the injury whilst warming up for Barca's league game at home to Villarreal on Sunday.

Xavi Hernandez, who was going to be on the subs' bench, was drafted in instead of Deco. Xavi scored for Barca, but could not prevent the Catalans from losing 2-1.

The untimely defeat leaves Barca no less than eight points behind Liga leaders Real Madrid.

Deco has undergone an injury-plagued season, and now joins Albert Jorquera, Carles Puyol, Rafa Marquez, Oleguer Presas and Lionel Messi on the injury list.

Barca coach Frank Rijkaard is hoping that Deco, Puyol and Marquez will all be fit for the 20 March King's Cup semi-final second leg away to troubled Valencia. The first leg, played in the Camp Nou, was a 1-1 draw.

[Copyright dpa 2008]