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Barcelona’s injured stars are getting fit for El Clasico
Lionel Messi is back, and with some of his friends in tow.
Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Three of Barcelona’s top players who missed training last week were all on the pitch on Monday. Ivan Rakitic is back after a calf injury, Marc-Andre ter Stegen has returned from dental surgery, and of course, there’s Lionel Messi. He’s targeting El Clasico as his first game back from a knee injury that was supposed to keep him out against Real Madrid.
It’s possible Messi’s nowhere close to fit and Barca are just playing mind games. That uncertainty is going to make Rafa Benitez’s life tough this week.
Goal of the day
In the news
Belgium vs. Spain was canceled as authorities search for the suspected perpetrators of the Paris attacks. (BBC)
Arsene Wenger wants blood testing introduced in soccer to fight doping. (Guardian)
Dortmund star Nuri Sahin has resumed full training. (Bundesliga)
Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo will be out for a month. (AS)
Nigel De Jong is likely to miss AC Milan’s upcoming match against Juventus with a thigh injury. (Football Italia)
You should be reading
Joe Lo on the philosophy of Arsene Wenger. (Vice)
Tom Mason on Joe Cole’s wasted talent and new opportunity at Coventry. (These Football Times)
Charles Ducksbury on Helmuth Duckadam, the hero of the 1986 European Cup. (The Set Pieces)
What happened on Monday
Ireland beat Bosnia to qualify for Euro 2016. (UEFA.com)
What to watch on Tuesday (click for listings, all times ET)
WCQs: A lot of games (all dang day) -- Your highlights are: Colombia vs. Argentina at 3:30 p.m., Honduras vs. Mexico at 4 p.m., Uruguay vs. Chile at 6 p.m., USA vs. Trinidad and Tobago at 6:30 p.m., Brazil vs. Peru at 7 p.m.
Euro qualifying: 2 games (2:45 p.m) -- Denmark face Sweden while Slovenia take on Ukraine.
Friendly: England vs. France (3 p.m.) -- Expect all of Wembley to sing the French national anthem.
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