Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Arda Turan and Rafinha back for Barcelona to face Deportivo La Coruna

Barcelona playmakers Arda Turan and Rafinha return for Wednesday's crunch La Liga game at Deportivo La Coruna, but Aleix Vidal has been left out of the squad.

Barca go to Riazor with their lead in the La Liga title race having disappeared after taking just one point from their last four games, and with challengers Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid closing in.

Vidal channeled Rocky Balboa in a response to the decision via his Instagram feed, saying: "To continue moving forward when you think you can no longer do it is what separates you from others. Life isn't about how hard you get hit, but rather about how hard you get hit without giving up. #SS#stayup#staystrong#let'sgoteam!!!"

Seguir cuando crees que no puedes más es lo que te hace diferente a los demás. La vida no se trata de qué fuerte golpees, sino de qué fuerte seas golpeado y no te des por vencido. 💪 #SS#stayup#staystrong#vamosequipo!!! 🔵🔴

A photo posted by AleixVidal22 (@av22oficial) on

Turan was suspended for last weekend's 2-1 home defeat to Valencia, and missed training due to gastroenteritis on Monday, but the Turkey international has been deemed fit enough to make the trip to Galicia.

Rafinha was declared fit on Tuesday, having suffered a muscle problem when making his first start for six months in Barca's 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad on April 9, and is also named in the 18-man travelling party.

The biggest surprise is the absence of €17 million summer 2015 signing Vidal, who has clearly failed to convince Luis Enrique and the Barca coaching staff of his worth, and will remain in Catalonia with Douglas preferred as cover on the bench.

Luis Enrique must plan without the suspended Gerard Pique, who picked up a 10th yellow card of the season against Valencia last weekend, and backup defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Jeremy Mathieu are both injured, so home-grown Marc Bartra will deputise at centre-back against mid-table Depor.

"For the game being played tonight at Riazor at 20:00 [local time], Luis Enrique and his coaching staff have called up 18 players," a club statement said. "The centre-back Gerard Pique is not in the squad due to the accumulation of yellow cards.

"Neither are injured players Sandro, Vermaelen and Mathieu. Arda Turan has been able to recover from his gastroenteritis and travels with the team, while the goalkeeper Jordi Masip and the full-back Aleix Vidal are the players discarded."

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