BARCELONA confirmed that Lionel Messi is set to miss next weekend’s El Clasico meeting with Real Madrid due to injury.

The mercurial No. 10 suffered a “fracture of the radial bone in his right arm” following a collision with Argentina international Franco Vazquez during Barca’s 4-2 win over Sevilla. Barca reclaimed top spot in La Liga with the win.

Barca’s club statement regarding the issue read: “Tests carried out on the first team player Leo Messi have confirmed that he has a fracture of the radial bone in his right arm. He will be out for approximately three weeks.”

It was a disappointing end to what had been — up until that point— a vintage Messi performance. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner had, by the 15th minute, already set up Philippe Coutinho for the opening goal of the game, before curling in his 25th goal against Sevilla in the 12th minute.

As well as missing El Clasico, Barcelona confirmed that their talisman is also set to miss La Blaugrana’s crucial UEFA Champions League meeting with Inter, as well as a further La Liga game away to Rayo Vallecano and a Copa del Rey encounter with Cultural Leonesa.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid reached the worst scoring drought in its history in a 2-1 home loss to Levante in the Spanish league Saturday.

Julen Lopetegui’s team went more than 465 minutes without finding the net before Marcelo ended the streak in the second half at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Madrid hadn’t scored in four straight matches, and its winless streak is now at five games. It has lost four of its last five matches, including the last three.

Madrid fans jeered the team and Lopetegui, who is under heavy pressure just months after joining the Spanish powerhouse.

Levante entered the game with the league’s third-worst defense after conceding 14 goals in eight matches. It scored early with goals by Jose Luis Morales in the sixth minute and Roger in the 13th. Marcelo pulled one back in the 72nd.

Madrid, which began the match without Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, who are coming off injuries, created many chances but was unable to break through the Alaves defense.

Madrid struck the woodwork three times and had a goal by Mariano Diaz disallowed for offside in the final minutes.

Lopetegui’s team had entered the match enduring its worst scoreless streak since 1985.

Its slump began with a demoralizing 3-0 loss at Sevilla, then it was held by Atletico Madrid to a 0-0 draw at home in the city derby, lost 1-0 at CSKA Moscow in the Champions League and was beaten 1-0 at Alaves to drop to fifth in the league standings.

(SD-Agencies)