By FRANCO PANIZO
If Barcelona is to win the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal series against Arsenal, it will have to do so without Andres Iniesta.
Iniesta suffered a hamstring injury in Barcelona's 1-0 win against Mallorca on Saturday, and tests have revealed that he will miss up to ten days. The injury will force Iniesta out of Wednesday's game against the Gunners and next weekend's league match vs. Athletic Bilbao.
Iniesta should recover in time for the second leg against Arsenal on April 6 and the pivotal 'Clasico' against Real Madrid on April 11.
Here are some more stories from Sunday:
Zola contemplates future
Gianfranco Zola has gone home to Italy for a few days to think about his future with relegation-threatened West Ham United.
The Hammers lost their sixth straight match on Saturday, and Zola has given the team three days off to try and alleviate some of the increasing pressure on the club. Zola has taken the opportunity to fly home to Italy, where he is said to be thinking about whether or not to resign.
West Ham is currently one place above the drop zone, but is tied on points with 18th-place Hull City which has a game in hand.
Fabregas plans Arsenal stay
For much of the season, Cesc Fabregas has been linked with a summer transfer to Barcelona, his former club, but the Spanish playmaker says he has no intention of leaving Arsenal.
Fabregas is enjoying a dream season with the Gunners, notching 15 goals and 13 assists in league play alone, and insists he will not be departing the club at the end of the season. Fabregas is excited, however, to play against Barcelona when the two clubs meet in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on March 31.
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How badly do you think Barcelona will miss Iniesta in the first leg, if at all? Should Zola resign, or is West Ham destined for relegation anyway? Do you believe Fabregas?
Share your thoughts below.