Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will miss the Club World Cup final against Estudiantes Saturday because of a leg muscle injury similar to the one that left him on the sidelines for most of the offseason. Results of medical scans performed on Iniesta's left leg Thursday confirmed the Spain international will be out for at least two weeks, meaning he will be absent until the resumption of Spanish league play after the winter break. Iniesta injured his leg in Wednesday's 3-1 semifinal victory over Mexican club Atlante. Iniesta tore a muscle in the same area of his right leg last season. The 25-year-old Spaniard missed the Confederations Cup and the early part of this season to recover. Estudiantes defender Leandro Desabat said Iniesta's absence would only make a slight difference to Barcelona's chances at the Zayed Sports City stadium Saturday. “He's a great player. He brings a lot to the team,” Desabat said. “They might feel it, but that doesn't mean they just depend on that player. They have so many great players that it won't make the biggest difference.” Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi has also just returned from an ankle injury, coming off the bench to score with his first touch Wednesday. However, Desabat was more concerned about his likely assignment – marking striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “To see him on TV is one thing, compared to in person, and to see the way he moves is surprising,” Desabat said. “I didn't think he was so massive and controlled the ball so well.” Argentine side Estudiantes won the competition in 1968, when it was known as the Intercontinental Cup. Barcelona is looking for an unprecedented sixth major trophy in 2009 after triumphs in the Champions League, Spanish league, Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercup and European Supercup. It reached the final twice before, losing in 1992 and 2006. Desabat said Estudiantes' chance of victory will likely come down to seizing its few opportunities. “We have a way of playing and we're not going to change it,” Desabat said. “There are few chances to play this kind of game, or to win it either. We'll fight for it.” FIFA happy with format The jubilation by a near-capacity crowd over Lionel Messi's appearance in Barcelona's semifinal win over Atlante of Mexico showed that Emirates soccer fans supported the Club World Cup, organizers said Thursday. However, crowds were poor in earlier matches after UAE title holder Al Ahli was eliminated 2-0 by Oceania champion Auckland City in the opening match, and officials criticized the local club for a lack of preparation. European champion Barcelona, like South America's Estudiantes, had a bye into the semifinals where it beat CONCACAF champions Atlante 3-1 in front of a 40,952 Zayed Sports City crowd Wednesday. The previous best attendance, officially 22,626, was for Estudiantes' 2-1 win over eight-man Pohang Steelers of South Korea at Mohammed Bin Zayed stadium Tuesday, helped by the remarkable presence of some 5,000 fans of the Argentine team hoping to see them crowned world champion for the second time. FIFA President Sepp Blatter told a news conference poor attendance at the quarterfinals, when Atlante beat Auckland and Pohang overcame DR Congo's TP Mazembe, was a matter the local organizers would have to address for next year. UAE Football Association president Sheikh Mohammed Khalfan Al-Rumaithi said it was an issue he took very seriously. “We had dreamt of a better participation by Al-Ahli. They didn't plan well for the tournament. We urge whoever wins this year's (UAE) league to prepare properly,” he said.
