Barca must do ‘a little bit more’ without Messi

BARCELONA: The rest of Barcelona’s squad will have to do “a little bit more” to make up for the absence of five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi for the

BARCELONA: The rest of Barcelona’s squad will have to do “a little bit more” to make up for the absence of five-times World Player of the Year Lionel Messi for the next three weeks, according to captain Andres Iniesta.

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The Argentina forward faces a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a groin injury in Wednesday’s 1-1 La Liga draw with Atletico Madrid.

“There’s no question we are stronger with Messi,” Iniesta told Cadena Cope radio ahead of Saturday’s match at Sporting Gijon. “When these things happen we all have to give a little bit more.”

MIRZA-STRYCOVE WIN

TOKYO: India’s Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova defeated unseeded pair of Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski and Spain’s Maria Jose Martina Sanchez 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 to enter the finals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open, here on Friday. This is Sania and Strycova’s third t ournament together. Last month, Sania and Strycova won the Cincinnati Open title.

KARTING C’SHIP FINAL

KOLHAPUR: As many as five racers are within touching distance of the 13th JK Tyre National Karting Championship’s Senior Max title.

Vishnu Prasad (328pts), Ricky Donison (324), Dhruv Mohite (314), Nayan Chatterjee (313) and outsider Akash Gowda all have a chance to take the title at the fifth and final round which is taking place at the Mohite Racing Academy here over the weekend.