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Barcelona return for Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique vs Athletic

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says Lionel Messi is ready to return for Saturday's La Liga game at home to Athletic Bilbao, while Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta are also expected to be available to start.

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All three players missed games with their countries during the recent international break, with Messi pulling out of the Argentina squad with a minor adductor muscle problem, Pique taking more time to recover from a troublesome hip injury and Iniesta having missed Barca's 1-0 win at Villarreal before the break with a left knee issue.

While none of the trio have yet officially been granted a clean bill of health by the Blaugrana medical staff, Luis Enrique told his prematch news conference that the injury outlook was good.

"[Messi] is ready to play," the Barca coach said. "He did some individual work, and more with the group. There are some [other] players who have still not got the medical all-clear, but the majority of the players are ready to play."

Two more players who are reportedly fit again and ready to come in are summer signings Marc Andre Ter-Stegen and Thomas Vermaelen, who have yet to play for their new side due to minor injury issues.

Luis Enrique said the players themselves would be the first to know when they are about to make their debuts, adding: "I have decided who will play in goal, but I will speak first with them."

"Vermaelen is training at the same rhythm as his teammates, and will bring us many things -- bringing the ball out from the back, power in the air. He is a very interesting centre-half."

New attacking starlet Munir, who made his full debut for Spain last week despite having played just two senior games for his club, looks set to be on the bench with Pedro Rodriguez and Neymar both ready to play.

"Young players in two or three weeks can make some giant leaps," Luis Enrique said. "Munir is the same as always, with the same attitude. He is going through a very nice stage in his life. I would advise him to enjoy it and remained focused as he has been until now."

Athletic have not won at Barcelona in over a decade in La Liga, but showed excellent early-season form in qualifying past Napoli for the Champions League group stages, and also troubled Barca when taking the lead at the Camp Nou on their most recent visit.

Luis Enrique said he was particularly concerned with Athletic's threat at set-pieces, but the best way to defend was for Barca to keep the ball and push their opponents back.

"That concerns me a lot," he said. "They have good deliverers of the ball, good headers of the ball. We will try and do everything well, showing our strong points, bringing the game into their area of the pitch."