Injured Pazzini to miss Barcelona clash

AC Milan striker Giampaolo Pazzini will miss Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 second-leg meeting with Barcelona after injuring his leg in a Serie A game.

The 28-year-old was replaced by Mario Balotelli midway through the first half of Friday night's 2-0 victory at Genoa, but not before he managed to score the opening goal.

Club doctors have now ruled the Italy international out of playing any role at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, where Milan must protect a 2-0 lead to progress to the quarter-finals.

A statement published on acmilan.com read: "In relation to the medical condition of Giampaolo Pazzini, AC Milan can reveal that he underwent medical examinations on Sunday morning which confirmed both a large muscle contusion in his right leg and a tiny break at the top of his right fibula."

Pazzini's absence provides Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri with a selection headache given January signing Balotelli is cup-tied due to his appearances for Manchester City in the group stages.

Stephan El Shaarawy is likely to partner M'Baye Niang against the Catalan giants, with Allegri also including forwards Robinho and Bojan Krkic in the 22-man travelling squad named on Sunday.

Former Inter Milan striker Pazzini has failed to score in his six Champions League appearances this season, but a haul of 13 domestic goals has proved invaluable to Milan's revival in the second half of the Serie A season.

The Rossoneri did not need strikers to build their current two-goal advantage over Barca, though, with midfielders Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari doing the damage at the San Siro on February 20.