Abidal makes Barça return

Eric Abidal has played his first game for Barcelona since being clear to return to football action following liver surgery.

The 33-year-old featured for Barcelona's reserve side in a friendly, on Tuesday, playing 65 minutes of the game against French second division side Istres at Barca's training ground.

Abidal has not played for the Catalans' senior side in over a year after undergoing a liver transplant last April, having previously had surgery to remove a tumour in March 2011.

He resumed training last October and was then able to re-join his team-mates for squad sessions in mid-December.

However, it was not until February 21 that he was given the green light to return to competitive action.