Puyol back in Barca squad after seven months out

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Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has been cleared to make his return to action against Osasuna on Saturday after a seven-month absence following two knee operations.

The 35-year-old missed the final few months of last season after first going under the knife in March and his comeback was delayed by a second operation to remove a cyst from the same knee in June.

The Spanish international has been back training with his teammates for a number of weeks and his return to the squad is a welcome boost for Gerardo Martino with Barca facing seven games in the next 23 days.

Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano have also been passed fit after overcoming the muscular injuries that kept them out of Argentina's final two World Cup qualifiers last week.

However, Gerard Pique, Alexis Sanchez and Dani Alves have all been left out of Martino's 18-man squad for the trip to Pamplona after playing twice for their national sides in the past week.

Messi included in Barca squad for Levante

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World Player of the Year Lionel Messi has been named in new Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino's squad for the champions' opening La Liga game against Levante on Sunday.

Messi had missed Argentina's friendly victory over Italy on Wednesday due to a quadriceps strain, but returned to training on Friday and Martino confirmed that both he and Cesc Fabregas -- who also missed Spain's victory over Ecuador in midweek due to injury -- will be fit to play.

"Both players have trained almost normally so they shouldn't have any problem in playing," he said at a press conference on Saturday.

Martino also confirmed that he has advised the club not to sign a central defender before the transfer window shuts on September 2.

The Catalans have been linked with Chelsea's David Luiz and Liverpool's Daniel Agger in recent weeks, but Martino is confident that, barring a number of injuries, they have the cover required at the back.

"I know the club was looking for a central defender before I arrived. What I said to them was that (Carles) Puyol is recuperating well, with (Gerard) Pique, (Javier) Mascherano, (Marc) Bartra and even Adriano and (Sergio) Busquets, we are fine.

"If there are any injuries, then we have the winter transfer market."

Despite Puyol's progress after having knee surgery in July though, the 35-year-old is not expected to be back in action before September.