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Iniesta escapes UEFA ban, can play semifinal

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-04-21 13:07

BARCELONA, Spain - Andres Iniesta has been cleared to play the first leg of Barcelona's Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid after UEFA ruled that the Spain midfielder did not intentionally provoke a yellow card in a match against Shakhtar Donetsk.

Related readings:  Barcelona to appeal Iniesta's UEFA suspension

European football's governing body decided against a proposed additional one-match suspension for Iniesta for allegedly inducing a yellow card in the first leg of the knockout series against the Ukrainian side, which ruled him out of the return leg.

Iniesta will therefore be available for the three-time champions' visit to Santiago Bernabeu stadium on April 27.