BARCELONA and Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets is expected to be fit for his side’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Valencia on Wednesday despite being stretchered off with a knee injury in the 2-1 win at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday night.

Busquets had come off the bench only a few minutes earlier before he sustained a deep gash below his right knee in a challenge with Sociedad defender Carlos Martinez.

Barcelona’s first team has been ravaged with injury this season, but the medical reports yesterday were that there was no serious damage to the joint.

Barcelona remain seven points behind Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, thanks in the main to Lionel Messi’s brilliance as he lifted a side containing several youngsters from the club’s B team at the Nou Camp .

Pacy 20-year-old Tello opened the scoring in the ninth minute, running on to a Messi through ball, before the Argentinian made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute. Carlos Vela pulled one back for the visitors two minutes later.

Earlier in the day, Jose Mourinho’s deployed close to their strongest team in a 1-0 victory at city rivals Getafe.

Defender Sergio Ramos nodded in the only goal on a bitterly cold and blustery night at the Coliseum stadium.