Birthday boy Iniesta confident of being fit for final

Birthday boy Iniesta confident of being fit for finalMadrid - Barcelona star Andres Iniesta is very confident of being fit for the May 27 Champions League final.

On Sunday the impish playmaker tore a muscle at the back of his right thigh in the 3-3 home draw against defiant Villarreal.

On Monday Iniesta underwent rigorous medical checks, and said afterwards, with the habitual smile on his face, that "I told the doctor that, whatever the injury is, I will be in the Champions final."

Iniesta added that "it is only a small (muscle) tear. If it was a little higher then it would be dangerous, but because it is lower then it has not been so serious. I suppose it has happened because of the stress of the end of the season."

He finished by saying that "today is a happy day, although I have suffered this setback."

Iniesta, whose 25th birthday is on Monday, was a key man in Spain's Euro 2008 triumph, and has been crucial in Barca's success this season.

Last Wednesday he scored the injury-time goal that gave Barca a vital 1-1 draw away to Chelsea, and their place in the Champions final.

He will miss Wednesday's King's Cup final against Athletic Bilbao and, almost certainly, Barca's remaining three Liga matches, in order to be fit for May 27. The Catalans need just one more point in order to clinch the title.

Veteran striker Thierry Henry, the same as Iniesta, is battling to be fit for the Rome final. Defender Rafa Marquez, in contrast, has practically no chance of being fit by then.

Cruelly, left-back Eric Abidal will miss both the King's Cup final and the Champions final through suspension, after being sent off against Villarreal and Chelsea. (dpa)