Iniesta returns for Barca against crafty Villarreal
La Liga leaders Barcelona have been boosted by the return of captain Andres Iniesta for the must-win game against a Villarreal side who have made a habit of taking points off Spain’s top sides this season.
Midfielder Iniesta missed the wins over Osasuna and Espanyol with muscle discomfort but coach Luis Enrique confirmed the 32-year-old was fit to play on Saturday as Barca seek to defend their slender lead over Real Madrid at the top of the standings.
Champions Barca are top due to their superior head-to-head record with Real although the Madrid side, also on 81 points, have a game in hand as they bid for their first title since 2012. Villarreal are fifth on 63 points and have won five of their last six games.
‘RONALDO HAS LEARNED TO ACCEPT ROTATION’
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted the need to rest during the season as the prolific Portuguese prepares to sit out a fourth consecutive league away game in missing Saturday’s trip to Granada. Ronaldo has missed eight of Real’s 34 league games so far this season in contrast to last year when he participated in 36 of 38, only absent due to a hamstring injury he sustained late in the campaign.
Zidane remarked last year that Ronaldo needed to rest more but it was difficult to convince him to sit out games, but said on Friday the 32-year-old had accepted his new reality. “I speak with Cristiano all the time and I know him very well. He knows that until now he played 60-70 games a season and the accumulation of all
NEYMAR TO STAND TRIAL FOR CORRUPTION
Brazilian forward Neymar faces a corruption trial in Spain in connection with the value placed on his 2013 transfer from Santos to Barcelona, the Spanish National High Court said. The defendants in the pending trial are the player, his parents, the two clubs, current and former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, according to a court statement.
Bartomeu, Rosell, Barcelona and Santos also face trial on fraud charges, along with former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues, the statement said.