Real Madrid's Sneijder disappointed Messi out for Barca clash</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder is disappointed that Barcelona's top scorer Lionel Messi will be sidelined due to injury when their two sides meet on Sunday for "El Clasico." "He's (Messi) a great player, he will be one of the best players in Europe and the world. It's a shame that he won't be available," Sneijder told a news conference on Monday, adding he expected Messi will be replaced by Giovani Dos Santos. "For the team it will be an important absence because Leo has had an extraordinary season and for this type of match you need a player with his traits," Sneijder added. Messi, who has scored eight goals, tore a muscle in his left thigh shortly before half-time in Barcelona's 3-0 league win over Valencia on Saturday and will be out of action for up to five weeks. The 20-year-old Argentine scored a hat-trick against Real Madrid in their last game at Camp Nou in March which ended 3-3. Real Madrid defeated Osasuna 2-0 over the weekend and are four points ahead of Barcelona going into the showdown, meaning they are guaranteed to enter 2008 as the leaders of the Spanish championship. "A win for us would even things up at the top of the table," said Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta. "I believe there's still a long way to go in the league but of course it (a win) is important for what it represents historically and because of the situation of both teams in the table," he said. "It won't be decisive but we have to win in order to get to the top as soon as possible," Iniesta added.</div></p>
