Messi had already set one goal up and scored another in the top-of-the-table clash at Camp Nou before he fell awkwardly.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was in obvious pain, although Barca's medical team dressed his right arm and it initially appeared as though he may attempt to play on.

Messi was withdrawn after a long delay, however, and Barca confirmed in a statement after its 4-2 win that tests showed a fracture in his right arm.

It means next week's match between Barca and Real Madrid will be the first Clasico without either Messi or Ronaldo for 11 years.

Messi's record in one of the world's most important football fixtures is impressive. Here are some of the numbers behind it.

38 - Messi has played in 38 El Clasico matches for Barca, with his side winning 17 of those meetings and losing 12.

26 - The Barca captain has scored 26 goals against Real Madrid, finding the net in four of his past five appearances in the fixture.

2 - Messi has twice scored a Clasico hat-trick, the first coming in March 2007 and the second coming seven years later at Santiago Bernabeu.

8 - Of Messi's 38 appearances in El Clasico, eight have come in finals, including the Supercopa de Espana. In those games, he has scored six times.

35 - Messi has featured in 35 consecutive El Clasico matches for Barca, last missing a meeting with Madrid in 2007 when he had a thigh injury.

2 - Barca has played two El Clasicos without Messi since his debut, with Frank Rijkaard's men drawing 1-1 at home in 2006 and losing 1-0 away the next year.