FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.03.2007 20:00

Back to normal

Rijkaard had the entire squad available for training on Thursday afternoon with the exception of Mexican international Rafa Márquez. With the international break now over, the players can focus their minds on Saturday’s match against Deportivo.

The league programme resumes this weekend after the international break and the Nou Camp is starting to look like its normal self as some twenty-two players trained here today at the orders of manager Frank Rijkaard. All the international players are back in Barcelona with the exception of Rafa Márquez, who will join up with the squad on Friday.

Light session

Today’s training session was lengthy but relatively gentle. Keep ball exercises and foot volley dominated the proceedings, though the session finished off with circuit training directed by Paco Seirul•lo and Albert Roca, in order to improve speed and stamina.

Eto'o, Valdés and Ezquerro

These three players did not take part in Wednesday’s training match in the Miniestadi, though for different reasons. Eto’o worked in the gym while Valdés trained with goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué on the Masía training grounds. Ezquerro was rested due to a muscle spasm in his back. All three joined up with the rest of the squad and trained normally on Thursday.

Double session for Deco

Meanwhile, Deco trained by himself in the morning and spent the afternoon in the gym. The Portuguese midfielder, who had an operation on the third finger of his right hand on 19th March, should be fit in time for the league match against Zaragoza on 7th April.

International hangover

Xavi and Gudjohnsen chatted for some minutes before training started about the match between Iceland and Spain in Mallorca’s Ono Estadi (1-0 for Spain), in which they both played a prominent role. For his part, Frank Rijkaard enthusiastically congratulated his fellow countryman Gio Van Bronckhorst, who scored Holland’s winning goal against Slovenia.