Neymar out of Copa del Rey tie with Atletico Madrid but Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta returns

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta, and teammates Sergio Busquets and Lucas Digne are set to return to action in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night (7 February) after having shaken off their respective injuries. However, Neymar, Rafinha Alcantara and Marc Andre Ter Stegen will miss the decisive encounter in which the Catalans will try to take advantage of their 2-1 win at the Vicente Calderon to book a place in the final.

Iniesta, 32, has been out of action since suffering a soleus injury in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals against Real Sociedad on 19 January, having since missed Barcelona's last five games. Busquets has also missed the last four games after sustaining "a sprained external lateral ligament in his right ankle" only days later, during his side's 4-0 victory over Eibar.

Meanwhile, Digne picked up a knee injury earlier last week that has prevented him for taking part in the last two victories, over Atletico Madrid and Athletic Club Bilbao.

However, the Barcelona trio have been given medical clearance to return to action and Luis Enrique has thus included all them in his 18-man squad to face Atletico Madrid.

Rafinha is the only player who remains in the Barcelona treatment room after the Brazilian midfielder suffered a broken nose in the weekend victory over Athletic Club, being forced off in the 50<sup>th minute of the game of the game following a collision with Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Yet, Luis Enrique also has a selection dilemma to form his attacking trident as Neymar will miss the tie due to suspension.

Furthermore, the boss has also rested Ter Stegen, as Jasper Cillesen is the regular starter in the Copa del Rey, while third keeper Jordi Masip will continue serving as back-up.