Carles Puyol Set To Return Tuesday Against Arsenal

Barcelona captain and Catalonia talisman Carles Puyol is set to return from his mid-January knee injury for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Arsenal, according to reports. The 32-year-old central defender has returned to full training but will likely be withheld from this weekend’s match against Real Zaragoza. The Blaugrana are unlikely to be troubled by the relegation-battlers’ visit to the Nou Camp, while Puyol’s presence will be direly needed on Tuesday.

Without Puyol, Barcelona lost the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie, 2-1 in North London. Last year, Barcelona drew 2-2 at the Emirates before returning to Camp Nou to defeat Arsenal 4-1 in the quarterfinals.

Puyol will not play in the club’s match versus Sporting Gijon this weekend and Guardiola has said that he will almost certainly miss the Champions League match as well despite taking part in some light training recently. Puyol is said to be nowhere near match fitness and Guardiola described his chances at playing in London on Wednesday as “really complicated.”

The Barcelona vs. Arsenal match-up is the most anticipated of all of the Champions League round of 16 ties. Barcelona is widely considered to be the world’s top team at the moment and sits atop the La Liga table, while Arsenal are in second place in the English Premier League.