Barcelona: Sergi Roberto returns for Granada clash after shaking off thigh problem

Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto has returned to training after recovering from a thigh injury. He could start the Catalan side's La Liga home fixture against Granada at the weekend.

Roberto, 23, trained normally with his teammates on 7 January. The versatile midfielder sustained the knock during Barca's last league outing against Espanyol on 3 January.

Roberto came on as a substitute for Ivan Rakitic in the 71st minute of the Catalan derby at the Cornella-El Prat, where Barcelona where held to their third draw in four league matches. He was assessed by the club's medical staff and was found to have bruised his right thigh. The injury forced him to sit out Barcelona's midweek Copa del Rey win over Espanyol.

Barca's wildcard

Roberto has developed into a vital member of Luis Enrique's squad this season, weighing in with one goal in 20 appearances across all competitions.

The La Masia graduate is equally adept as a playmaking midfielder or as a full-back, and was even deployed as a forward in Barcelona's 4-0 thumping of Real Madrid back in November.

"[Roberto's] the wildcard of the team. He can play in any position, doesn't lose the ball, has quality, drive, good movement and physicality. He can become a great player," Enrique said after the famous win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"He perfectly understood what was asked of him, always finding space."

Meanwhile, former Barca forward Thierry Henry backed Lionel Messi for the 2015 Ballon d'Or and questioned the absence of Luis Suarez on the shortlist for the prize. "I think it would be madness if [Messi] doesn't win the Ballon d'Or. He deserves it because the team won another treble. But what I don't understand is why Luis Suárez is not in the shortlist," he told Barcelona's official website.

"There are only three places. That's the problem... but Suarez has everything, he fights, great movement, he is the right age and obviously he scores goals."