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Barcelona defender Jordi Alba resumes training after thigh strain

Jordi Alba returned to training on Wednesday after missing Barcelona's last three matches with a thigh strain.

Alba, 28, picked up the injury during a training session the day before Barca's 3-0 Champions League win against Olympiakos last week.

Lucas Digne replaced him for the game against the Greek champions and kept his place for Saturday's La Liga victory over Malaga and Tuesday's Copa del Rey win at Real Murcia.

Ernesto Valverde will now have to decide whether to stick with the France international or restore Alba to the starting lineup for this weekend's game against Athletic Bilbao.

Until getting injured, Alba had started every game at left-back with the exception of the 6-1 league win against Eibar, when his place was taken by Digne.

In total, he has started 11 games this season and has spoken regularly about how much he is enjoying his football again having been in and out of the team at times last season under Luis Enrique.

Lionel Messi also returned to training after spending three days in London and attending The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony on Monday, where he was named as runner-up to Cristiano Ronaldo in The Best FIFA Men's Player award for a second straight year.

Messi was one of seven players to have been given time off earlier this week, along with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Samuel Umtiti, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Paulinho and Luis Suarez, who were also back in work on Wednesday.

Those who travelled to Murcia on Tuesday -- with the exception of third-choice goalkeeper Adrian Ortola -- were all given the day off.

Valverde is preparing his players for Saturday's trip to San Mames, a game that will see him take on the team he left at the end of last season to become Barca coach.

"It will be an emotional game for me," the coach said on Tuesday. "It always has been when I have been back there with other teams, too. I won't talk about statistics, though, because it's not gone well!

"Athletic are extraordinarily strong at home, so apart from the fact I'm going home and all those emotions, they will make it difficult for us."

Barca are currently on a 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions and boast a four-point lead at the top of the league table going into the match in the Basque Country.