FCBARCELONA.CAT

24.05.2007 18:55

International duty beckons for Barça stars

Sergi Nogueras

At least ten Barça players have been called up for the next round of international matches though this number will undoubtedly increase when the Spanish squad is announced on Friday lunchtime.

Barça’s training sessions next week look set to be sparsely attended due to the, by now, customary massive exodus of players on international duty. The matches – some friendlies and some competitive – will be played between 1st and 6th June. The players called up so far are: Deco (Portugal), Ronaldinho and Edmílson (Brazil), Gio (Holland), Thuram (France), Zambrotta (Italy), Gudjohnsen (Iceland), Saviola and Messi (Argentina) and Eto'o (Cameroon).

Spanish squad regulars Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi also seem likely to be included in the list to be announced on Friday by manager Luis Aragonés.

Qualification at stake

A number of matches involving Barça players will have a bearing on the future of their nations in the European and African Cups. Thuram, Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen, Deco and the Spanish internationals are taking part in qualifying games for the EURO 2008 while Eto'o will line up against Liberia in a qualifier for the 2008 CAF African Cup of Nations.

The exotic touch

Apart from Eto'o, two more Barça players will be travelling away from Europe. Gio will travel with the Holland squad to Seoul for a friendly against South Korea on Saturday 2nd June while Deco will be representing Portugal in their match (also a friendly) against Kuwait in Kuwait City on Tuesday 5th.

A five-star match

The biggest attraction among the upcoming batch of international matches is the game between England and Brazil (Ronaldinho and Edmílson) in the brand new Wembley stadium on 1st June. The Brazil squad will then move on to Dortmund in Germany to play another friendly against Turkey. The remaining friendly fixture will be between Switzerland and Argentina (Messi and Saviola) in Basle on 2nd June.