UEFA clears Zlatan Ibrahimovic to face Barcelona

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been cleared by UEFA to play for Paris Saint-Germain against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal. UEFA

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and PSG open their Champions League quarterfinal at Paris on Tuesday :: Laurent Cipriani/AP

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been cleared by UEFA to play for Paris Saint-Germain against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.

UEFA says its appeals panel granted a request by Ibrahimovic and PSG to lift the second match of a two-game ban imposed after he was sent off for a challenge on Valencia midfielder Andres Guardado in stoppage time of their last-16 meeting in February.

The Swedish forward can now face his former club in Paris next Tuesday.

The return is in Barcelona on April 10.

Ibrahimovic challenged UEFA's disciplinary ruling which extended the one-match ban applied automatically to players sent off in European competition matches.

He served his suspension when PSG drew 1-1 at home against Valencia, to advance 3-2 on aggregate.