FCBARCELONA.CAT

14.11.2007 13:08

Four players report for training

Jesús Carrillo / Anna Segura

Only four members of the FC Barcelona first team were available for training on Wednesday morning as the majority of the Blaugrana squad have left to join their national teams.

Following the game against Alcoyano in the Copa del Rey, Barça do not have another outing for ten days when Recreativo de Huelva are due to visit Camp Nou. The league programme has been stopped for the final time this year to accommodate the last round of qualifiers for Euro 2008. While many players have gone to play for their countries, some of Frank Rijkaard's squad have been permission to travel to be with their families during the same period. After Lionel Messi, Gaby Milito and Ronaldinho left on Saturday, eight more players have now gone.

Thierry Henry, Éric Abidal and Lilian Thuram have joined up with France, Gianluca Zambrotta is with the Italian squad, Carles Puyol, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta are with Spain and Bojan Krkic has gone to the Spain Under-21 set-up.

A light session

The exodus has meant that the Blaugrana had only four players able to report for training on Wednesday morning as Víctor Valdés, Albert Jorquera, Sylvinho and Eidur Gudjohnsen took to the pitch in front of La Masia. While Valdés was on the bench, the other three all appeared in the game against Alcoyano the night before and only underwent a light session that was watched by Johan Neeskens and Juan Carlos Unzué.

Ezquerro works alone

Santi Ezquerro trained alone in Camp Nou as he continues to recover from a groin injury, while Touré Yaya and Oleguer Presas were not present either as they preferred to stay and work in the gymnasium.

Another absentee was Giovani Dos Santos after the young Mexican suffered an ankle injury during the cup game. After being stretchered off in obvious pain, it has since been revealed that he will be back in training next week.