MADRID (Reuters) – Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has returned to full training and is available for Sunday’s La Liga game at home to Osasuna, the club said on Saturday.
The World Player of the Year missed training and needed physiotherapy on Friday after coming off as a precaution late in Thursday’s King’s Cup quarter-final second leg win at Malaga.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi runs to kick a corner against Malaga during their Spanish first division match at La Rosaleda stadium in Malaga, southern Spain, January 13, 2013. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
"The Argentine forward will be available for selection for the next league fixture," Barca said in a statement on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).
The La Liga leaders are looking to get back to winning ways against Osasuna after their unbeaten start to the campaign was ended last weekend by a 3-2 defeat at Real Sociedad.
They still have an eight-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who play at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, with champions Real Madrid a further seven points back in third.
Jose Mourinho’s Real side, who this week lost captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas to a broken hand, host Getafe on Sunday before Barca visit the Bernabeu on Wednesday for the first leg of their King’s Cup semi-final.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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