Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 7y

Barcelona to face Atletico Madrid without Iniesta, Busquets or Digne

Luis Enrique will be without Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Lucas Digne for Wednesday's Copa del Rey semifinal first leg against Atletico Madrid.

Busquets was never likely to make the game at the Vicente Calderon after spraining his ankle ligaments in the win at Eibar, but there was hope that Iniesta would make a quicker recovery from a calf problem.

However, the Blaugrana captain has been unable to train with his teammates this week and will not be available for the match against Diego Simeone's side.

Barca confirmed that Digne, too, will miss the trip with a knee injury, although they have not revealed how long the left-back is expected to be out of action for.

"I'm happy with what I have," Luis Enrique said in a news conference on Tuesday when asked if the absence of Busquets and Iniesta will make things difficult against Atletico.

"I am delighted with my squad. Throughout the season you have absences, so it's not the moment to talk about players that aren't [available], but to talk about the players that are.

"I prefer to focus on those [players] that can try to determine the tie against Atletico."

Rafinha returns from a hamstring injury and could slot into midfield instead of Iniesta, while Denis Suarez, Andre Gomes and Ivan Rakitic are also options.

Behind them, Javier Mascherano is most likely to slot in for Busquets and Luis Enrique was full of praise for the Argentine international.

"It's not just that he's versatile, but it's the quality he adds in midfield and defence," the Barca coach explained.

"It's his work without the ball; the way he competes; his leadership on the pitch... Technically and tactically he brings things to the table and I think to have Mascherano in the team is a positive for any manager -- that's why he plays so many games.'

Aside from the injured trio of players, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has also been left out of the 18-man squad.

Jasper Cillessen and Jordi Masip are preferred in the Copa del Rey -- while the German plays in La Liga and the Champions League -- and Luis Enrique joked about the similarities between the three stoppers.

"They're all good with their feet, good in the air, have good positioning, good personalities, they're good looking, blonde... well Jordi's not [blonde], but all good things," he said.

"I will rotate players as much as I can," he said. "If I don't rotate the players, we won't make it to Feb. 15."

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