FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.09.2007 13:28

Things back to normal for Puyol

Míriam Nadal / Jordi Clos

The FC Barcelona captain has been given medical clearance after playing a game in which the players that didn’t get a full match against Zaragoza faced a group of Barça B players in the Miniestadi.

Carles Puyol was the main attraction of the 60 minute match on Wednesday morning. The Barça captain played at centre back during the first half alongside Thuram and in the second teamed up with Valiente. Puyol seemed back to his old self, and after playing the game at 100 per cent was given the medical all-clear.

Three months out of action

Puyol tore ligaments in his left knee in the last game of last season, at Mamelody Sundowns of South Africa on June 21. Doctor Ramon Cugat operated on his leg and he has been working apart from the group for three months. But the wait is over, and he is now free to rejoin Rijkaard and his squad.

Young reinforcements

Apart from Carles Puyol, the blue team coached by Johann Neeskens also featured Jorquera, Fali, Thuram Sylvinho, Crosas, Dimas, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Bojan and Ezquerro. Marc Valiente, Víctor Vázquez and Espasandín came on after the break.

The opposition was coached by Pep Guardiola, and included Pau, Víctor Sánchez, Botía, Jeffrey, Toribio, Xavi Torres, Busquets, Rueda, Urbano, Gai and Iago, with Eneko, Córcoles, Abraham and Bolaños also appearing.

First team make a comeback

It was an entertaining game. Sergi Busquets put the B team ahead with a well taken free kick. In the second half, Gudjohnsen, playing further back than usual, tied level from the penalty spot. Marc Valiente immediately added another for the first team as he headed home a corner. Bojan sentenced affairs with an individual run in the final seconds of the game, and was then taken straight off as a precautionary measure following a slight knock to his left knee.

Frank Rijkaard, Txiki Begiristain, José Ramón Alexanko and other members of the club’s coaching staff watched the proceedings from the stands.