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Neymar available for Cordoba clash

Cape  - Barcelona forward Neymar has recovered from a minor ankle problem and is available for Saturday's La Liga game at home to Cordoba, the club said on Friday.

Neymar has not played since he scored Barca's second goal in the 3-1 Champions League victory at home to Paris St Germain on Dec. 10 and missed last weekend's 0-0 La Liga draw at Getafe and Tuesday's 8-1 drubbing of third-tier Huesca in the King's Cup.

He trained with the rest of the squad on Friday before being given the all-clear by medical staff as Luis Enrique's men prepare for their final outing before the two-week winter break.

"Let's see tomorrow if he is in the squad and if he is in the squad he has a chance of playing," Luis Enrique told a news conference.

A win for Barca at the Nou Camp would close the gap to leaders Real Madrid to one point.

Real's game at home to Sevilla has been postponed until early February due to their participation in this week's Club World Cup in Morocco.

Neymar has been on fine form this season and has scored 11 goals in La Liga and three in the Champions League.

Barca missed his pace and trickery in attack at Getafe, when they turned in a toothless performance that meant Real were able to stretch their advantage to four points.

Luis Enrique, in his first season in charge after taking over from Gerardo Martino, said Barca need to be more consistent if they are to return to winning ways this term.

Martino was replaced after the Catalan giants missed out on major silverware in 2013-14 for the first time in six years.

"We need to improve things," Luis Enrique said.

"There is a team (Real) who are playing better than us," added the former Barca, Real and Spain midfielder. "We have to play better as a team."

Neymar's Brazil team mate Dani Alves, who has a hamstring strain, was unable to train, Barca said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.es).

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