Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta is in a race against time to be fit for the Champions League final after suffering a thigh muscle tear in Sunday’s 3-3 Primera Liga draw with Villarreal at Camp Nou.
Barca are now set to examine the extent of Iniesta’s injury on Monday and will then announce how long the 25-year-old is expected to be out.
The playmaker will definitely miss Wednesday’s Copa del Rey final with Athletic Bilbao, but his club are hopeful he will be fit to face Manchester United on 27th May.
“I don’t have a good feeling,” said manager Pep Guardiola.
“We will do tests tomorrow, but there is no way he will play this week.
“We will try to get him fit for Rome – that’s all we can do. We will have what the tests reveal.
A victory in Sunday’s match would have seen Barca claim the title, but Guardiola admits he is more concerned with the loss of Iniesta.
“(Losing Iniesta) is worse news then not being crowned champions.”
Barca are already without suspended duo Dani Alves and Eric Abidal for the Rome showpiece, while Thierry Henry is struggling to be fit after suffering knee ligament trouble.
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