Alves and Alexis fit and named in squad

PHOTO: MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB
Alves and Alexis are back to full fitness and in Sunday’s squad, while Marc Bartra has been given the medical all-clear too

THE SQUAD

Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Piqué, Cesc, Puyol, Xavi, Villa, Iniesta, Alexis, Messi, Thiago, Mascherano, Busquets, Pedro, Alba, Adriano, Song and Tello

There was no shortage of good news on Saturday morning at FC Barcelona. Not only have fears concerning Messi’s fitness been dispelled, but Alves and Alexis are also back in the squad for the game at Betis. Both players are fully recovered from their respective injuries and have been included in Tito Vilanova’s list of 19 players that will be headed for Seville. The names left out are Montoya, Dos Santos and Bartra, the latter also having been declared fit on Saturday morning.

Injuries conquered

Marc Bartra pulled a muscle in his right leg while training on November 18. Alexis Sánchez has recovered from a sprained foot sustained while in international duty for Chile and Dani Alves has been out with a pulled hamstring in his right leg.

The first team flies south to the Andalusian capital on Sunday morning. The 15th match of the Liga season against Real Betis kicks off at 21.00, and will be shown live on Canal Plus.