Barcelona have been given a boost before Tuesday’s Champions League showdown at home to Milan by the return of playmaker Xavi to training following a minor thigh muscle strain.

The Spain international, who missed last Saturday’s La Liga defeat at Real Madrid, trained with the rest of the squad yesterday, Barca said in a statement on their official website (www.fcbarcelona.es).

Assistant coach Jordi Roura, who is standing in for Tito Vilanova while he undergoes cancer treatment in New York, said a late decision would be made about whether Xavi would be included in the squad for today’s La Liga game at home to bottom side Deportivo La Coruna.

“He completed a full session with his team-mates,” Jordi Roura told a news conference yesterday.

“We’ll see tomorrow (today) after training how he feels and whether we include him in the list,” he added.

“We will then see how things develop over the next few days to see whether he can play against Milan.”

Barca need to overturn a 2-0 deficit to Milan in their last-16 second leg at the Nou Camp if they are to keep alive their hopes of a third European crown in five years.

Victory against Deportivo La Coruna, meanwhile, would put them 14 points clear of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who are at home to Real Sociedad tomorrow.