Iniesta free to face Real in Europe
Reuters - Wednesday 20 April 2011, 14:21
MADRID - Barcelona's Andres Iniesta can
play against Real Madrid in next Wednesday's Champions League
semi-final first leg after UEFA accepted an appeal against a
proposed one-match ban, the club said on Wednesday.
European football's governing body was looking at sanctioning
the midfielder for deliberately collecting a yellow card in the
first leg of Barca's quarter-final against Shakhtar Donetsk,
which the Spanish club won 5-1.
The booking meant he missed the return game in Ukraine and
officials at the match alleged he provoked the booking so he
could serve the standard one-match ban in the second leg and
have a clean slate for the semi-finals.
However, UEFA said it would not suspend Iniesta after the
club appealed against a possible ban, Barca said in a statement
on their website on Wednesday.
"UEFA have also announced that he will not face any
financial penalty," the club added.
"That means the player will be available for selection by
Pep Guardiola in the first leg of the Champions League
semi-final tie with Madrid (at the Bernabeu)."