Gerard Pique steps up recovery ahead of Barcelona clash with Malaga

Gerard Pique looks in line to return to action for the Barcelona home game with Malaga on 19 November after the club said that it won't be long before the centre back is able to rejoin the rest of his teammates. Meanwhile, out of favour Aleix Vidal is back in full training while Andres Iniesta steps up the recovery from his long-term knee injury by doing some light training on an antigravity machine.

Pique is yet to play a game since suffering an ankle injury during the 4-0 victory over Pep Guardiola's side on 19 October, being forced off earlier in the first half following a tackle from David Silva.

Barcelona then ruled him out for around three weeks and it looks like the former Manchester United centre-back is fulfilling that schedule as the club have now claimed that his return is only a matter of days.

"Fourteen first team regulars were missing from the first training session of the week because they're away on international duty, but one man who was at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Tuesday was Gerard Piqué, who worked out separately from the rest of the team," the club said. "It won't be long before the centre back is able to rejoin the group. "

Furthermore, Barcelona have added a video in which the centre-back looks to be taking most of the current international break to step up his fitness to arrive 100% fit for the game with Malaga on 19 November, which will come only 4 days before the Champions League trip to Celtic.

Meanwhile, Aleix Vidal completed the training session on Tuesday (8 November) with the Barcelona players who are not on international duty, including summer signing Paco Alcacer and a number of youngster from the second team like Marlon, Nili, Mujica, Abeledo, Carbonell, Dani Romera, Martínez and José Suárez. The right-back has been missing in the Barcelona workouts since suffering a thigh injury during the preparation of the Catalan Super Cup against Espanyol on 25 October. He looks available but it is still looks uncertain whether Luis Enrique will give him a chance to make the squad against Malaga as he has fallen out of favour with the manager since the 2-1 defeat against Alaves earlier on September.

Meanwhile, Jordi Alba and Jeremy Mathieu remain on the sidelines but Iniesta provided a positive update through a video on Twiter, doing some light running on an antigravity machine claiming that he is already in the "second phase" of the recovery from the knee injury he sustained during the victory over Valencia on 22 October.

Yet, he was ruled out for up to eight weeks and his return is still far from certain, with reports in Spain suggesting that in the best case he will be back for the first El Clasico of the season against Real Madrid on 3 December.

Furthermore, Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Denis Suárez, Ivan Rakitic, Marc Andre Ter Stegen, Jasper Cillessen, André Gomés, Arda Turan, Lucas Digne, Samuel Umtiti, Neymar, Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suárez are currently away on international duty.