Lionel Messi could return from injury sooner than expected after been named in the Barcelona squad to face Rubin Kazan in the Champions League.
Messi was stretchered off with an ankle injury against Atletico Madrid eight days ago and was expected to miss at least two weeks.
But the Argentine star trained with his team-mates on Monday and has been included in the squad to travel to Russia to take on Kazan.
However, the 23-year-old still needs to get the green light from Barca's medical staff and manager Pep Guardiola said Messi would not be risked if he was not fully recovered.
"Right now we just want a quick recovery from Messi's ankle injury," Guardiola told El Periodico de Catalunya.
"An injury that is not completely cured can give you problems not only in the game but throughout your career."
"The club can play and compete well without Messi against Rubin, and he should also not play Argentina's friendly match against Japan. Neither match is fundamental to either team."
"It would endanger the health of the player for nothing, and for the dollars the Argentine FA would receive in return."
Barcelona began their Champions League campaign with a 5-1 demolition of Greek side Panathinaikos a fortnight ago and are top of Group D.
Meanwhile, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti is adamant his side will not lose three games in a row as they take on Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Chelsea lost to Manchester City on Saturday following their Carling Cup defeat by Newcastle last week, and Ancelotti knows they cannot afford to make it an unwanted hat-trick by losing to the French champions.
Having lost their opening Group F game to Spartak Moscow, Marseille need a victory to get their campaign going, and former Chelsea midfielder Didier Deschamps would like nothing more than to win at Stamford Bridge
And Ancelotti is fully aware of the danger the French champions pose.
"Marseille are a good team. They play attacking football and they are quick," said the Italian.
"My players will know everything about our opponents but the main thing is our own game."
"We have to stay in focus. If we play at our best, we can win. We have to play our football and pay attention."
"Marseille will look to get three points from this game because they lost their first one."
Chelsea have continued injury problems, with England midfielder Frank Lampard out for a further two weeks because of a hernia problem, and Yossi Benayoun and Saloman Kalou joining him on the injured list.
It could mean a place for teenage midfielder Josh McEachran, who made his debut in Chelsea's 4-1 win against MSK Zilina two weeks ago.
Didier Drogba will miss the game against his former club because of suspension.
Deschamps, meanwhile, is delighted that Drogba is missing.
"It is a good thing because he is a very important player for Chelsea and one of their main weapons, so it has to be something positive for us," Deschamps said.
"It is an important game for us. We have to get back as many points as we can after losing those our three points to our key rival."
Marseille have since won twice in the league, and Deschamps said his side needed to take confidence from those performances into Tuesday's match.
"It would be wrong to use the word fear. We respect Chelsea and what they have achieved," Deschamps said.
"The team runs like a well-oiled machine, they are a big side full of quality players, and we know it is not going to be easy."
"It will be a difficult task but we are not fearful of anything."
"The important thing is to take that confidence into this match and use it in our favour."