Turan starts, Vidal on the bench in duo's 1st Barcelona match
Barcelona's transfer ban has been lifted at long last and the Blaugrana has finally added Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal to its roster. Now, in Wednesday's Copa del Rey fixture against Espanyol, Barcelona fans will get their first look at the new duo, as Turan starts in midfield and Vidal makes the bench at the Camp Nou.
Turan starts in the middle of the park rather than out on the wing, playing beside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets in Barcelona's 4-3-3. The combination of Neymar, Luis Suarez, and Lionel Messi up top remains Luis Enrique's preference on the day, too. Turan will play in the role occupied by Ivan Rakitic for much of the season.
Meanwhile, Vidal is on the bench, and the 26-year-old could also make his Barcelona debut.
Barcelona was banned from conducting any transfer business for two years. Vidal and Turan have been waiting on the sidelines for several months, unable to officially join the Catalan side. The ban was finally lifted upon the opening of the January transfer window.
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