FCBARCELONA.CAT

29.08.2008 11:48

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Between September 1 and 12, Barça will be missing a host of international players. In fact, the only first team players Guardiola will have will be Valdés, Pinto, Alves, Víctor Sánchez, Sylvinho and Eto’o.

The international games being played on September 5 and 10 will deny Barça of the bulk of the squad for 12 days. Apart from the injured Milito and Jorquera, 15 of the 21 members of the first team will be away on international duty.

Xavi, Puyol and Iniesta, with Spain

The new Spanish manager, Vicente del Bosque, has named his squad for South Africa 2010 World Cup qualifying games. Xavi Hernàndez, Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta have all been named. On the 6th Spain face Bosnia in Murcia, and four days later, on the 10th, they are in Albacete against Armenia.

Abidal and Henry, with France

After not being named for the friendly against Sweden, France have renamed Éric Abidal for the two games against Austria and Serbia. The Barça full back will not be able to play on the 5th, however, due to a suspension he has yet to serve following a yellow card in the European Championship.

The other Barcelona player in the list announced by Raymond Domenech is Thierry Henry.

Many kilometres

There will be longer journeys in store for Rafa Márquez, Martín Cáceres and Leo Messi. Mexico have to play Jamaica and Canada, Uruguay take on Colombia and Ecuador, while Argentina’s opponents are Paraguay and Peru. All three players leave Barcelona on September 1 and will be due back on the 12th.

Alexander Hleb and Eidur Gudjohnsen also have two matches. Belarus play Ukraine and Andorra, and Iceland are up against Norway and Scotland.

One game for Africans

Barça’s two African players have just one game ahead of them. Touré Yaya and the Ivory Coast face Mozambique, while Mali and Seydou Keita play Congo.