Barcelona 'receive €2m compensation' after Thomas Vermaelen missed most of last season

Barcelona have received €2m (£1.56m) in compensation from FIFA for the injury Thomas Vermaelen suffered in the last World Cup.

The former Arsenal defender played only 62 minutes of his first season in Catalonia after the thigh problem sustained playing for Belgium against Russia.

The Belgian, who returns to play Arsenal for the first time in the Champions League tonight, moved from the Emirates to Camp Nou in 2014 for £15m.

Vermaelen admitted coming up against the Gunners will be “special”.

“It’s a special game for me,” he said. “It’s a match against a team that I spent five years of my life at and that I have great memories of. So it’s going to be special.”