Abidal and Iniesta back in Barça's squad
Barça trained on the Nou Camp pitch on Monday evening ahead of their Champions League semi final second leg against Real Madrid. The great news for Guardiola was that Iniesta and Abidal trained normally and are in the squad for the Champions League game against Mourinho's Real Madrid.
Barcelona (FCB).- It’s been just 46 days since Eric Abidal had surgery to remove a tumour in his liver, on March 17th, but the doctors have given him the all clear and he is in the squad for Tuesday’s game after training normally with the rest of the players this evening. Andrés Iniesta, who missed the first leg in Madrid and the weekend’s defeat in Anoeta against Real Sociedad, is also fit and has been called up for tomorrow’s Champions League semi final second leg against Real Madrid.
Applause for Abidal
The first 15 minutes of the training session were open to the media and they were able to witness the squad form a big circle and give two big rounds of well deserved applause to Eric Abidal, who was given the medical all clear today and was immediately called into Guardiola’s 20-man squad for Tuesday’s game. Bojan also trained on the pitch, but apart from the rest of the group.
20 players called up
Iniesta is also back for the game after recovering from the calf strain that kept him out last week and at the weekend. In all, 16 first team squad players have been called up, along with B team players Oier, Bartra, Thiago and Sergi Roberto, who all trained with the first team this Monday. Barça’s normal reserve keeper Pinto, is suspended for the game due to the red card he was shown in the Bernabeu stadium, during the sem final first leg. Real Madrid's complaint against up to seven Barça team members for not playing with fair play during the semi final's first leg at the Bernabeu stadium and Josep Guardiola was filed by the UEFA's discipline committee.
Once the session was over, the players and back room staff went off to the Hotel W, next to Barcelona beach, where they will all stay the night, before returning to the Nou Camp for a final training session at noon on Tuesday.
THE DETAIL
Squad list for Madrid game
Valdés, Oier, Abidal, Puyol, Alves, Piqué, Mascherano, Bartra, Fontàs, Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Thiago, Iniesta, Xavi, Keita, Pedro, Messi, Afellay, Villa and Jeffren.