Messi Sends Maicon To Dentist

Lionel Messi
Inter Milan goal-scorer Maicon had his night soured when he lost a tooth in an accidental collision with Lionel Messi in his side's 3-1 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.

Brazilian wingback Maicon got the go-ahead goal in the second half of the Champions League semi-final first leg but he left the field on a stretcher after a later incident in his own penalty area that saw his tooth visibly flying through the air.

Messi was jumping to head the ball as Maicon retreated on his blindside, and the Barcelona star's left shoulder launched straight into Maicon's face, leaving him strewn across the pitch. Reports claim it was his incisor that was dislodged, matching his incisive run from the back that allowed him to fire home from inside the six yard box.

It was probably the biggest impact Messi had on the match in a toothless performance of his own as Inter executed a perfect stifling gameplan to claim a comprehensive win. It's uncertain how seriously Maicon's dental troubles will affect his ability to play in upcoming matches, including the semifinal second leg at Camp Nou next week.