Dani adds to Barça injury woe

Puyol woe
Spanish international Puyol faces three weeks out of action as a result of the eye injury he sustained during the Group A draw at Internazionale FC last Wednesday.

Doctor's orders
The club had feared that Puyol would need an operation after damaging his eye and cheekbone in a clash of heads with team-mate Frank de Boer. But club doctor Ricard Pruna said: "We are having to calm him down because he always wants to play. He should be back in about three weeks' time."

Missing dates
The 24-year-old will therefore sit out the group games against Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Camp Nou and Newcastle United FC at Saint James' Park. Barcelona need one more point to secure their place in the last eight.

Dani absence
Dani, meanwhile, will be sidelined for at least five weeks after spraining his knee in Sunday's Primera División game against Club Atlético Osasuna. The 28-year-old limped off after 32 minutes of the 2-2 draw at El Sadar, on what was his first starting appearance under new coach Radomir Antic.

'Painful injury'
"I am expecting him back in five weeks but it could be more," Pruna said. "His right leg is his kicking leg so it is a very painful injury for him."

Better news
Dani will also sit out league matches against Real Valladolid, Deportivo Alavés, Real Racing Club Santander, Villarreal CF and Real Sociedad. The €16m signing had forced his way back into the first-team fold following Antic's arrival last month. Better news for the coach is the return to fitness of centre-back Philippe Christanval, who had been absent for five weeks with a leg injury.