Paco Alcacer returns to Barcelona training as Lionel Messi and company prepare for Getafe trip

Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer returned to training on Thursday (14 September) after missing Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League victory over Juventus with an illness.

However, Arda Turan and long-term absentee Rafinha Alcantara remain on the sidelines ahead of a busy week, which will see Ernesto Valverde's side face La Liga games against Getafe, Eibar and Girona in the space of eight days.

Barcelona kicked off the season with a disappointing defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, but they have since managed to bounce back to win the following four games.

Valverde's charges have enjoyed a perfect start to La Liga, beating Real Betis, Alaves and Espanyol to sit at the top of the table alongside Real Sociedad.

Furthermore, the Catalans are yet to concede a goal and are already four points ahead of Real Madrid, with the reigning champions having dropped points against Valencia and Levante.

Barcelona extended the good form to the Champions League as two goals from Lionel Messi and another one from Ivan Rakitic led them to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Juventus on Tuesday night.

Alcacer missed that game due to gastroenteritis, but the Spaniard was back at the Barcelona training ground on Thursday with the Catalans beginning preparations for the Saturday's La Liga trip to Getafe.

"Ernesto Valverde started to prepare for the Getafe match on Saturday. He did so with the available first-team players on the Tito Vilanova pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva. Barça will play at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez following a two-year absence as the team from Madrid were in Division 2A last year. Los Blaugranas have won three in their last four visits but it is never a comfortable away fixture," Barcelona said on their website, alongside a video in which fans could see Alcacer back in training with the rest of his teammates.

The return of the former Valencia star is a major boost for Valverde as the former Athletic Bilbao boss is expected to introduce some fresh legs in his starting line-up to face the Madrid side.

Barcelona will host Eibar at the Nou Camp just three days later (19 September) before travelling to Girona on Saturday (23 September) for another La Liga clash.

Meanwhile, the game against Getafe is likely to come too early for both Turan and Rafinha, as neither of them appeared during Thursday's training session.

The Turkey international suffered a thigh strain injury during the recent international break while Rafinha is yet to play a game this campaign, having being on the sidelines since undergoing a knee injury in April.