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Barcelona midfielder Xavi has played down the severity of his leg injury, after recent reports claimed a long prognosis.

The 32-year-old picked up the knock in the latter stages of the goalless draw against Villarreal on January 28, and has featured in only one of his side’s five previous matches.

However, Xavi opted to clarify his current fitness problems in an interview with Sport on Thursday, claiming he is ‘very optimistic’ about overcoming his injury, before branding the knock as ‘no big deal’.

The Spanish World Cup winner did admit that the swelling has caused him discomfort over the past few weeks, but did not rule out appearing in Sunday’s La Liga clash with Valencia.

Paraguay defeated Chile 2-0 in a friendly at the Estadio Feliciano Caceres in Luque on Wednesday.

The hosts went ahead through Cerro Porteno striker Edgar Benitez when he converted from the penalty spot on 44 minutes.

Francisco Arce’s men then went 2-0 ahead thanks to Jose Ortigoza’s strike 18 minutes from full-time.

Chile had won the previous encounter between the sides 2-0 in a South American World Cup qualifier in November.

Paraguay will take on Guatemala in a friendly next Wednesday, before hosting Panama in another non-competitive fixture on February 29.