Blow for Barca as Villa breaks leg

It is a tournament that receives much criticism given its awkward timing and relative unimportance, but I guess the World Club Championship has lost a whole heap more supporters following Barcelona’s game with Al-Sadd.

Not that is was anything to do with Barca's Qatari opponents, who worked diligently to try and contain the European Champions. The eventual 4-0 score-line was perfectly respectable given the difference in quality between the two sides.

But Pep Guardiola’s men paid a heavy price for their win and progression to Sundays final against Santos, with striker David Villa suffering a broken leg.

The 30-year-old Spain international fractured his left tibia when he fell awkwardly just before half-time of the clash in Yokohama, Japan.

"Bad news for David Villa and Barca; the striker's left tibia is fractured," Barcelona said on their Twitter feed.

"The player has been taken to the Yokohama Rosa hospital for further tests."

The injury means he could miss the rest of the season and even his participation with Spain at Euro 2012 is now in doubt, leaving the club to ruw their particpation in a tourament that is more cermonial than anything else.

Barca’s La Liga odds may take a hit after this, with the Catalan outfit facing the prospect of going into the winter break second behind Real, who unlike Barca, will play this weekend.

As Spain’s all-time leading goalscorer with 50 goals in 81 games his absence would also be keenly felt in Poland and the Ukraine next summer, with Villa’s striker partner, Fernando Torres, struggling for form.

Villa was a popular name for those looking to bet on the top scorer at the Championships, given the key role he played in the 2010 World Cup and the 12 goals in 26 games he has hit so far this term.

Barca will be hoping hospital scan prove the break to be not as serious as feared and that the former Valencia man can get back fit and firing before the end of the season.