Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi to undergo kidney procedure

Barcelona star Lionel Messi will undergo a procedure on Tuesday to treat kidney stones, but is still expected to be available for this weekend's visit of Celta Vigo.

The Argentina captain was absent from training on Monday, for which the club cited "personal reasons", suggesting he was a doubt to face Valencia in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday.

And he is now certain to miss the Mestalla trip after it was revealed that he is undergoing surgery at the Clinica Dexeus on Tuesday to treat the same kidney problem that affected him during the Club World Cup in December.

The procedure is understood to be minor, with Messi able to return home on the same day and expected back in training on Wednesday.

He played 90 minutes for Barcelona in the 2-0 win over Levante on Sunday.

Luis Enrique's side came out with a hard-fought victory - an own goal and a late strike from Luis Suarez maintaining their three-point advantage at the top of La Liga.

They are back in action on Wednesday evening when they travel to the Mestalla to take on under-fire Gary Neville's team.

Barca hold a whopping 7-0 advantage after the first fixture at the Nou Camp, thanks to four goals from Suarez and a hat-trick from Messi.