Barcelona vs Arsenal: Suspended Gerard Pique only major absentee for Champions League clash

Barcelona squad returned to training on Monday morning to prepare for the Wednesday's Champions League second leg last 16 against Arsenal following their 6-0 victory Getafe at the weekend to remain on the top of La Liga table, eight points clear of Atletico Madrid and 12 above Real Madrid.

The Champions League holders arrive at the Champions League clash with a 2-0 advantage and in sensational form after an unbeaten run of 37 games, with their last defeat coming in October on a La Liga trip to Sevilla. Furthermore, manager Luis Enrique is expected to have most of his players available for the visit of the Gunners with the exceptions of Gerard Pique, Rafinha Alcantara and Sandro Ramirez.

The former Manchester United centre-back looks to be the only notorious absentee for the game due to suspension after he saw a yellow card later during the 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium, with some then suggesting he deliberately earned the suspension to ensure he would play in the quarter finals should Barcelona prograss. Meanwhile, Rafinha remains on the sidelines following the serious knee injury he sustained in the Champions League group stage game with Roma, while Sandro will miss the game after he was ruled out for "six to seven weeks" due to a muscle injury he sustained in the preparation for the game against Getafe.

Meanwhile, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, Dani Alves, Ivan Rakitic and Champions League number one keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen may return fresh to the Barcelona line-up against Arsenal after they were all rested during the weekend victory over Getafe.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal star Thomas Vermaelen, whom could fill Pique's gap in the centre of the defence, has urged his teammates to not take anything for granted despite the 2-0 win away.

"We will be the favourites, but I know it's not going to be easy against Arsenal. I think they gave us a tough time in London," said Vermaelen to the Barcelona official website.

"When I was there, we played a couple of times against Bayern Munich and we lost at home, but then we went to Bayern Munich and we had very good results, and were close to going through. So you can never say Arsenal are out, because they will always come back."