MADRID: Barcelona`s Argentine star Lionel Messi will miss at least the next two matches after injuring his ankle at the weekend, the club said on Monday.

Barcelona revealed that tests carried out on Monday confirmed that the forward suffered ligament damage to his right ankle in his side`s 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday, in which he scored the opening goal.

Messi will now miss the Spanish champions` next two league games, against Sporting Gijon on Wednesday and Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Barca did not indicate when the player might return, saying only that it "depends on how the injury evolves".

Messi, 23, was stretchered off in the final minute of the match following a robust tackle from Czech defender Tomasz Ujfalusi, who was sent off for the challenge.

Ujfalusi apologised to Messi on Monday.

"I`m sorry. I would like to publicly apologise, because, honestly, it wasn`t my intention," he told a news conference.

"I tried to go for the ball, but naturally, with the speed he had, he also could not stop and I was unlucky as my foot stepped on his ankle."

BDST: 2246HRS, September 20, 2010