Barcelona name 26-man squad for Champions League

MADRID - FC Barcelona coach Quique Setien has named a 26-man squad that will travel to Lisbon for the final stages of the UEFA Champions League on Thursday.

Setien has included seven B-team players in the squad, while winger Ousmane Dembele is back after six months out through injury, along with Martin Braithwaite, who isn't registered in Barca's Champions League list.

The only two first-team regulars to miss out are the injured Samuel Umtiti and midfielder Arthur Melo, who is out for disciplinary reasons after failing to return from Brazil two weeks ago to undertake the necessary COVID-19 tests.

The remainder of the squad underwent another round of tests on Tuesday and will be tested again after arriving in Lisbon on Thursday.

The seven B-team players include central defender Ronald Araujo, who is the only available cover for Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet due to Umtiti's absense, along with goalkeeper Inaki Pena, defender Oscar Mingueza, midfielders Monchu, Jandro Orellana and Ludovit Reis and forward Konrad de la Fuente.

Thursday also saw Barca reveal that one of nine players slated to begin pre-season training has tested positive for COVID-19.

This group contains returning loan players such as Carles Alena, Rafinha, Moussa Wague, Juan Miranda and Jean-Claude Todibo, none of whom are included in the Champions League squad.

Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao have reported no fewer than six COVID-19 cases among players returning for pre-season training. Inaki Williams, Gaizka Larrazabal, Unai Lopez, Unai Nunez, Inigo Cordoba and Oihan Sancet are the affected players and all are said to be asymptomatic. Enditem