Iniesta sidelined by calf strain

Iniesta asked to be replaced early in the second-half of Barca’s 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo on Saturday, but he could return as early as next weekend for a testing La Liga visit to Villarreal.

“Tests have confirmed that Andres Iniesta has a strain in the calf of his left leg. The player will be out for the next game,” Barcelona said in a statement.

Iniesta is unlikely to be the only Barca star left out for the visit of the Portuguese side with Ernesto Valverde’s men already guaranteed top spot in Group D with a game to spare.

However, injury problems are mounting for Valverde with influential centre-back Samuel Umtiti ruled out for two months after tearing his hamstring on Saturday.