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Barca’s Abidal fit for Panathinaikos game

MADRID - Barcelona left back Eric Abidal has recovered from a small tear to a muscle in his right leg and is available for Wednesday’s Champions League Group D match at Panathinaikos, the La Liga club said on Tuesday.

The French international, who was sidelined for Barca’s 8-0 demolition of Almeria on Saturday, came through training in Athens and was declared fit, the club said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.cat).

Barca and group rivals FC Copenhagen would both advance if they beat Panathinaikos and Rubin Kazan respectively on Wednesday. A draw would be enough for Barca if Russian side Rubin do not win.

Barca, champions in 2009, could even afford to lose in Athens by three goals and still go through if Copenhagen beat the Russians.

“We’ll put out the best team we can,” Barca coach Pep Guardiola told a news conference on Tuesday, when asked if Monday’s ‘Clasico’ against arch La Liga rivals Real Madrid would influence his selection.

“We haven’t qualified yet and we want to top the group,” he added. “It isn’t hard to forget the Clasico because it’s what we did the last two years and there’s plenty of time to relax and get ready for it the right way.”