Milito back in Barca squad

Gabriel Milito moved a step closer to his first competitive appearance for Barcelona in over 18 months after being included in Pep Guardiola’s squad for Wednesday’s crucial Champions League encounter with Dynamo Kiev.

Milito got the all-clear to return to first-team action late last month after finally recovering from the knee ligament injury that he suffered in the Champions League semi-final against Manchester United in April 2008.

The Argentina international was overlooked for the league matches against Xerez and Deportivo La Coruna, but Barca coach Guardiola has named him in a 19-man travelling party for the trip to the Ukraine.

Milito’s fellow defender Rafael Marquez is the other newcomer in the squad that beat Depor 3-1 at the weekend to keep Barca five points clear at the top of the table.

Dmitro Chygrynskiy will also make the trip back to his homeland with the reigning European and Spanish champions even though he is ineligible to play having represented Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League qualifiers. Injured youngster Jeffren is the only player to be ruled out of the trip.

Barca are currently top of Group F in the Champions League, two points ahead of Inter Milan and Rubin Kazan, and three ahead of Dynamo, meaning all four sides still have a chance to make it through to the last 16.