/world sport
MADRID, Spain -- Barcelona will face Real Madrid next weekend without Argentine top scorer Lionel Messi, who has been ruled out for more than four weeks after he suffered a foot injury during a 3-0 Primera Liga victory in Valencia.
Messi goes down after injuring his left foot during the game at Valencia.
Messi, who has notched eight goals this season, limped off shortly before half-time.
"Messi will be out for between four and five weeks," with a torn muscle in his left thigh, Barca announced on Sunday.
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o scored his first league goals of the season as Barcelona moved to within a point of league leaders Real, faced Osasuna this Sunday.
Eto'o had been inactive since the end of August because of a serious knee injury and he showed his value to the team with strikes in the 12th and 26th minutes to make it three goals in four days.
Eidur Gudjohnsen added a third after 61 minutes..
It was only Barcelona's second away win of the season and increased the pressure on Real to beat Osasuna.
It was Valencia's sixth defeat at their Mestalla Stadium and some of their fans left after Gudjohnsen's goal.
Valencia coach Ronald Koeman was hoping to plot the downfall of his old club where he made almost 200 appearances and scored their winner in the 1992 European Cup final but was hit by the loss of injured striker David Villa.
Barca coach Frank Rijkaard was able to leave out Ronaldinho with Spanish international midfielder Andres Iniesta included to provide more steel.
Eto'o's lack of match practice cost him a third minute chance, when his control was poor, but 10 minutes later he scored a brilliant individual goal.
After deceiving two defenders he drove a fierce left-footed shot into the corner.
After 26 minutes he grabbed another, after a great pass from Messi, who had to go off injured soon afterwards.
Messi then limped off but it did not stop Barca with Gudjohnsen completing the scoring on 61 minutes.
Espanyol boosted their hopes of gaining a place in the Champions League next season when they beat Levante 1-0 and rose to fourth.
Jarque's goal after eight minutes clinched the points and put last season's UEFA Cup finalists level with Atletico Madrid.
Levante fell to their 13th defeat in 16 games and are eight points from safety. E-mail to a friend 
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