FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.11.2008 11:23

Nine players called up for international duty

www.fcbarcelona.cat

This week some of Barça’s internationals will be away playing for their countries. Xavi, Puyol, Busquets, Henry, Márquez, Cáceres, Hleb, Alves and Eto’o have all been called up for international duty.

After the eleventh round of League matches, Barça are taking a short break due to midweek international fixtures. The players will not be back training until Wednesday afternoon, with Xavi, Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Henry, Márquez, Martín Cáceres, Hleb, Dani Alves and Eto’o all being away on international duty. The fixtures are friendlies except for Mexico’s World Cup qualifying match.

Short trips

Xavi and Puyol, who have been called up for the Spain versus Chile clash at Vila-real, have the shortest trips. Sergio Busquets will be travelling with the Spanish under-21 side to Cartaxo to take on Portugal on Tuesday; the rest of the games are on Wednesday. Thierry Henry and Martin Cáceres will also not be travelling far for the France against Uruguay game at Saint Dennis in Paris. 

Meanwhile Hleb is in the Byelorussia squad for the game against Cyprus in Nicosia.

Longer journeys

The longest trips will be made by Samuel Eto’o, Dani Alves and Rafa Márquez. The striker has a friendly with Cameroon at Rustenburg in South Africa, while the two defenders will be crossing the Atlantic. Alves has been called up for the Brazil-Portugal clash in Brasilia while Márquez will play in the World Cup qualifying game between Honduras and Mexico.