<img title="Andres Iniesta" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/aug/5Andres-Iniesta-1.jpg" alt="Andres Iniesta" width="670" height="567" /> Andres Iniesta
Barcelona will make a late decision on whether captain Andres Iniesta is fit to face Chelsea in the Champions League tomorrow, coach Ernesto Valverde has confirmed.
Iniesta sustained a hamstring injury against Atletico Madrid on March 4 but the midfielder took part in a light training session yesterday ahead of the last-16 second leg at the Camp Nou. The first leg finished 1-1
"It's clear when a match like this arrives, a player tends to risk," Valverde said today.
"What we have to decide is whether the risk is excessive."
Iniesta could be replaced by Paulinho in the starting line-up but the Spaniard's absence would represent a major blow to his team's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.
"We know what Andres brings to the team, not only on the pitch but as a captain," Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets said.
"You give him the ball and he always knows what he has to do to create chances. Everything that he contributes is postive. He is training and we hope he plays."
Lionel Messi, however, is available again, after the Argentine missed Saturday's win at Malaga to attend the birth of his son, Ciro. "He will be fine," Busquets said. "In fact he will be more motivated than what we are used to and physically he is going to be great, after having an extra game's rest. I hope that this is perfect."
Busquets was also asked whether he thought Messi, who scored his team's crucial away goal at Stamford Bridge, would ever leave Barcelona and move to the Premier League.
"He is at home here," Busquets said. "He has a great changing room, he is winning titles, has a great project, is winning collective and individual awards.
"In the end all these positive things are difficult to find elsewhere, so the Premier League is a league that maybe you would like to play in but if you have to balance the positive and the negative out of here, it is very difficult to leave."
Catch up on all the latest <a title="sports news" href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports" target="_blank">sports news</a> and updates here. Also download the new mid-day <a title="mid-day android app " href="https://goo.gl/8Xlcvr" target="_blank">Android</a> and <a title="mid-day iOS app" href="https://goo.gl/KQziH4" target="_blank">iOS</a> apps to get latest updates
<div id=":74.co" class="JL">
<div id=":78.ma" class="Mu SP" data-tooltip="February 20, 2018 at 6:39:14 PM UTC+5:30">This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever</div>
</div>

Barcelona will make a late decision on whether captain Andres Iniesta is fit to face Chelsea in the Champions League tomorrow, coach Ernesto Valverde has confirmed

CL: Barcelona will make late call on Iniesta before Chelsea, says Valverde

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Sports / Football / Article / CL: Barcelona will make late call on Iniesta before Chelsea, says Valverde

CL: Barcelona will make late call on Iniesta before Chelsea, says Valverde

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast