Lionel Messi is back in the squad for Barcelona as the champions look to retake top spot in the La Liga with a win at Malaga on Saturday.
Messi missed the midweek Copa Del Rey first leg quarterfinal against Athletic Bilbao, but is back in contention to play after recovering from a slight hamstring problem.
"[Messi] has recovered, has trained," Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said. "I don't believe there will be any problems."
However, while Messi and Luis Suarez, who was suspended for the midweek encounter, return, the third of the potent MSN front three – Neymar – will miss out with a hamstring injury.
Messi and Suarez, though, should be enough to fire Barcelona back to the top of the league with three points, with Atletico Madrid, the current leaders, only playing on Sunday. Atletico Madrid are two points ahead of Barca, who have played a game less, at the moment, with Real Madrid a further two points behind.
Considering Malaga are in comfortable midtable at the moment, Barca will know the match won't be easy, but definitely winnable.
"Malaga always cause us problems," Barcelona manager Luis Enrique told reporters. "It's a vital game for us to stay in touch at the top and we have to take it very seriously."
Barcelona have struggled to break down Malaga in recent matches in the La Liga, with only one goal coming in three games, and Enrique know Javi Garcia, the opposition manager and his former teammate at U-21 level, will make it quite difficult again.
"[Garcia] is one of the coaches who cause us most problems," Enrique added. "I have known him for years and he is very meticulous and he pays attention to all the details and he knows all the things that will affect our game.
"We have to be aware that at home they have beaten teams like Atletico Madrid and Celta [Vigo]."
Where to Watch Live
Malaga vs Barcelona is scheduled for a 4 pm CET (8.30 pm IST, 3 pm GMT, 10 am ET) start, with live TV coverage in India on Sony ESPN and Sony ESPN HD. Viewers in India can also watch the match via live streaming online on Sony Liv.
There will be no live coverage of the La Liga match in the UK, while audience in Spain can catch the match live on Canal+ Liga and Movistar Futbol.
Bein Sports and Bein Sports Connect will broadcast the La Liga match between Barcelona and Granada live in the Australia, USA, Canada, the Middle East and North Africa.
