Frenkie de Jong is back in the Barcelona squad after missing the past seven matches with a calf injury, but Antoine Griezmann misses the Catalans’ LaLiga clash at home to Osasuna tonight.
The Dutch midfielder has not featured since the 4-0 win at Mallorca after the restart, starting on the bench at home to Getafe after that and then sitting out Barca’s next seven matches.
“He’ll play some minutes, I’m sure,” coach Quique Setien said on Wednesday. “He has trained with the group, is available and the problem is practically forgotten.
“We will decide whether he plays from the start or during the game.”
De Jong looks more likely to be on the bench for the visit of Osasuna, with Ivan Rakitic a possible starter alongside Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto in midfield.
Arturo Vidal, who scored the winner at Real Valladolid on Saturday, is set to keep his place as Griezmann misses out with an injury picked up at the Jose Zorrilla.
Barca need a win to keep their slim hopes of winning LaLiga alive, although even that will not be enough if title rivals Real Madrid beat Villarreal at home in a simultaneous kick-off on Thursday.
“LaLiga is still not lost and anything can happen,” Setien said. “But it’s true that it’s difficult.
“They (Madrid) have done things better than us and it’s possible they will win the two games, but we’ll keep fighting until the end.”
Barcelona predicted XI: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Sergi Roberto; Vidal; Messi, Suarez
Osasuna predicted XI: Herrera; Garcia, Navas, Hernandez; Vidal, Moncayola, Merida, Lato; Arnaiz, Gallego, Barja
